White Scars, Scarlet Rain
by GaelicRose75
Summary: There's a new girl in Karakura, but something's amiss…she looks like Rukia. A sinister plot, hatched fifty years ago, is set into motion, shaking Soul Society to its core. The gang faces new foes…discovers an untold truth…and reunites lost souls.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

**Prologue**

The door creaked open slowly, disturbing the silence surrounding Raiden's thoughts. Sighing heavily, he opened his eyes and gazed about at the still forms in the room.

Masumi was leaning against the back wall beside the door, his arms crossed with a brooding frown etched upon his face. With his height and size, he easily towered over Raiden. Kenta stayed within the shadows, his eyes gleaming with a malicious glint. His right hand continued to caress the silver medallion hanging from his neck, a large onyx in the center. The twins, Emi and Kyoko, stood closer to the window, holding hands, their eyes foggy and unfocused. His truly faithful companion, Toru, kneeled before him, a significant space between him and the others.

"My lord," Toru said, fervently, "I have information on the target."

Smiling absently, Raiden cleared his throat. Patience was not a strong point of his, and what little he had had been waning gradually over the past years. It seemed finally that his effort would be paid off very soon.

"Good news, I hope," he replied mildly.

At his master's response, Toru lifted his head and locked eyes with Raiden.

"Yes, my lord. The target is in place. She has just settled in Karakura town. It won't be long before she meets the substitute soul reaper and set our plan in motion."

"Excellent," Raiden praised, rising from his chair. He circled his desk, stopping before Toru. Without a word, Toru rose from his position and the others joined him, creating a half-circle before Raiden.

"The time has, at long last, come," Raiden continued, "We will no longer be subject to the soul reapers' control. Now, it's our turn. And we will start from within the Seireitei."

Kenta chuckled hysterically. Masumi's expression hardened, his posture rigid. Emi and Kyoko smiled eerily, a playful gleam in their eyes. Toru inclined his head to Raiden, a smirk dancing on his lips.

Raiden stood calmly, his thoughts revolving around one soul reaper in particular. The godforsaken, worthless noble had taken everything from him, leaving him empty and hollow.

His expression twisted into a cruel and angry scowl. _You'll pay!_ Raiden thought, his fists clenching with unspoken fury.

_Byakuya Kuchiki._

**A/N:** So, this is my first fanfic. Reviews are welcomed and appreciated. I hope you like it. The next chapters will be longer as the plot unfurls. XD!


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

Chapter One

Lugging yet another box up the stairs, Hisana struggled under the weight, breathing heavily. She perched the box on the rail, wiping sweat from her forehead and massaging the dull ache in her lower back. Sighing, she heaved the box up the few remaining steps and into her new apartment.

She stacked the box with the others, arranged messily along the wall next to the door. A heavenly breeze drifted through the open door, cooling Hisana, and she moved to open some windows and the sliding doors that led to a small terrace. The terrace was on the front side of the building, directly above the similar one attached to the apartment below hers. And of course, stairs led to the only entrance to her new home.

The apartment was furnished, which was a relief for Hisana. She really didn't have the expenses to buy furniture along with the new residence. The living room held a comfy couch, a matching chair, a round coffee table, and a decent size book shelf. The kitchen was next to the living room, separated by a counter and four bar stools that served as her dining table. The sliding doors were to the left of the kitchen, near a small guest bathroom. There was a hallway adjacent to the living room, leading to the master bedroom and adjoining bathroom. The bedroom had a vanity with a short stool opposite the door. A dresser stood alongside the left wall, next to the entrance to the bathroom. The queen-size bed occupied the center of the room with the headboard along the right wall. A nightstand was to the left of the bed and a large, semi-walkthrough closet was on the right.

Hisana was overly joyful about her new home. Now if only the boxes would unpack themselves. She chuckled at the thought, grabbing a notepad and pen and moving to sit at the counter.

"Alright," she began out loud, "things I need…"

Titling the page, she followed her spoken thoughts as they came.

"I need food. Ok…milk, eggs, bread,…uh, vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, carrots…oh, fish, chicken, beef…rice…"

The list continued. Deciding to take a walk around Karakura before going shopping, she dug through a box for her camera. She slipped on some black flats while folding her list and tucking it into the front pocket of her jeans. She grabbed a light grey cardigan, pulling it on over her white tank top and buttoning it. She placed the camera strap around her neck, letting it hang down her front as she fixed her long hair into a low, messy bun.

She moved quickly to shut the windows and doors she had opened earlier. _Just in case,_ she thought, locking them as she went.

Snatching her wallet and keys from her purse, Hisana headed out the door, securing it behind her. The keys joined the folded paper in her right pocket and her wallet was placed in her left. She walked absently down the stairs, fiddling with her camera's settings.

Her apartment was a part of a neighborhood on the outskirts of the shopping district. Snapping pictures of her dwelling and the surrounding buildings, Hisana made her way into town.

It was two o'clock in the afternoon when Hisana found herself in Karakura's shopping district. The streets were filled with people, bustling along sidewalks and intersections. Stores lined every street, side by side. Hisana smiled at the lively town, hustling with the crowd. Feeling somewhat daring, she took pictures of random strangers. There was a young couple walking arm in arm, a mother smiling and holding her son's hand crossing an intersection as he hopped from one white line to another, and a group of friends chatting and walking casually along. An overwhelming sense of longing washed over Hisana as she captured these moments.

Ordinarily, she was fine being alone. When she was younger, her parents both worked and left her with the house keeper. When she was eight, she had been sent to a boarding school. Although she had friends, she always longed for a family-a real family.

She looked solemnly at a man and his two young girls, pausing to watch as the little girl sat on a bench. She held her father's hand and pointed to her shoe. The bigger of the girls crouched down, placing her sister's foot on her knee and retying the laces. Once she was done, she smiled and offered her hand to her sister, who grabbed it, giggling, and hopped down from the bench. The trio resumed walking as Hisana took a picture.

_I wish I had a sister_ she thought, smiling sadly. Blowing hair out of her face, the stubborn strands falling back between her eyes, Hisana started walking to the community park.

* * *

"Look, Chad! It's Rukia!" Orihime exclaimed, "Rukia!"

Orihime waved excitedly to her friend standing by the jungle gym, a camera in her hands. Chad peered over Orihime's head, noting the unfamiliarity of the woman across from them. She didn't respond, taking pictures of some kids playing.

"Maybe she didn't hear me," Orihime wondered aloud.

"Orihime, I don't think that's Rukia."

Oblivious to Chad's remark, Orihime dashed towards her friend, waving again and shouting her name. "Ruuuukiiiiiia!"

Finally, she looked up as Orihime came barreling towards her. A look of confusion and anxiety crossed her features as she backed away, raising her hands defensively. Orihime stopped abruptly, smiling, then faltering as she realized this was not Rukia.

"You're not Rukia," Orihime stated with a quizzical quirk of her eyebrows.

"Uh….no," the stranger replied.

Chad had arrived by this time, a stoic expression set in place. Orihime pursed her lips, thinking.

She looked so much like her friend with the violet-blue eyes, pale complexion, and dark hair, but there were subtle differences between the two. Rukia's eyes were a deeper shade with a confident and determined edge. While she was pale, her complexion had a healthy glow. Her hair was shorter than the stranger's, a single strand falling across her forehead.

The woman before her looked somewhat older than Rukia. Her hair was just as dark, but looked to be incredibly long. Her eyes were lighter, more violet than blue, soft and kind. Her skin tone seemed slightly more pallid, as if she suffered from an illness.

Hisana looked at the two curiously, a slight curve to the corners of her mouth. The man was remarkably tall, almost two heads higher than her. His floppy, dark hair falling in his eyes. His tan complexion clashing with the bright floral, Hawaiian shirt he was wearing. The young woman beside him wore a pink t-shirt and jeans, a bag slung over her shoulder. Her face was contorted in an inquiring expression, a finger tapping her lips rhythmically. She was slightly bent towards Hisana, her long, auburn hair tumbling over her shoulders and framing her face.

Having clearly mistaken the girl for Rukia, Orihime hastened to make amends.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were a friend of mine," Orihime said, smiling apologetically. "I'm Orihime Inoue."

"Sado Yasutora," Chad stated, "But friends call me Chad."

"Hisana Kobayashi," Hisana replied, smiling brightly. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, dropping her camera to hang loosely from the strap around her neck. Chad remained still, one visible eye peering down at Hisana with a friendly light. Orihime had straightened when Hisana introduced herself. The familiarity of the name teased her mind and she was struggling to place where she had heard that same name.

Hisana and Chad watched Orihime as her facial features went through a range of emotion: thoughtfulness, frustration, exasperation, defeat, and finally resignation.

"Orihime," Chad spoke with concern, "Are you alright?"

As her memory evaded her, Orihime had a stray thought about her date tonight with Uryuu. She had been daydreaming about their past dates and wondering what they would do tonight when Chad interrupted.

"Eh?" she asked, dazed. Clearing her head, she continued, "Oh, sorry. Hehe! I was daydreaming again, wasn't I?"

Chad stayed silent. As Orihime apologized again to Hisana, crushing her in a bear hug and Hisana fighting against her hold, Chad turned away and faced the woodsy area of the park. An inhuman wail sounded, some distance from the three. Orihime went rigid, her arms still tightly wound around Hisana. Chad looked at Orihime, their eyes meeting and conveying their similar thoughts.

Hisana was having a hard time breathing. Orihime seemed unaware of how extremely "blessed" she was and was currently pressing Hisana's face against her gifts. Hisana stopped struggling when she heard the cry, feeling Orihime's arms tighten even more around her. _Did she hear it, too?_ Hisana wondered.

Orihime released Hisana abruptly, causing her to stumble back and fall on her bottom.

"Sorry, Hisana," Orihime began, bowing, "But we have to go. I hope we meet again."

Chad had already run off at this point, Orihime following soon after. Hisana stared after them. Picking herself up and dusting off her pants, she thought about the shriek she had just heard. It had seemed close by, but she hesitated going towards it. She had hoped to escape the monsters when she left Tokyo.

She didn't know what they were, just that they had a knack for appearing around her. After her fourteenth birthday, she discovered she could see spirits. She had wondered aloud about this man standing beside her father with a chain hanging from the center of his chest. Her father had glanced beside him, turning back to her and stating there was no one there. The same spirit explained what he was to her, asking for her help to get a message to his wife. She had gladly helped any spirits in need. Then, came the monsters. She had first been attacked while walking home during summer vacation. It had cornered her in an alley as she tried to run away. All she could remember afterwards was a bright, blue-white light and the creature dissolving.

Later on, she stumbled upon a weird soul in black robes with a sword. When she had tried to talk to him, he refused to speak and disappeared in a flash. Her life continued on normally when she went back to school, but every time she was home, a monster always found itself on her doorstep. And, naturally, she'd take care of it.

Before she'd even decided to pursue the creature, two figures in black raced past her. One was a tall, teenage boy with orange hair, scowling, a large blade strapped across his back and the other a short, dark-haired girl about the same age, a regular size sword at her hip. They seemed to be bickering as they ran, ignoring Hisana completely.

The boy quickened his pace, disappearing and reappearing in flashes before vanishing entirely. The girl soon followed suit.

Hisana gazed off at where they had evaporated. Her brows furled in confusion and curiosity. Several minutes passed before Hisana felt the creature's presence fade away.

Deciding she should leave, Hisana hurried off towards the marketplace.

* * *

Hisana exited the store, her arms full of grocery bags. Her apartment was only a few blocks away. The bags blocked some her vision, causing her to bump into something or someone as she rounded a corner and spilling her purchases.

"Ah, I'm sorry, miss."

The young man before her had short, black hair, slightly taller than her, with a friendly and open expression.

"It's okay," Hisana replied, replacing the spilled objects back into the bag. She was lucky the bag hadn't ripped. The guy stooped to help her.

"Yo, Mizuiro!"

Hisana glanced up to see another guy with brown hair ending near his chin and a nonchalant, somewhat bored appearance. He was walking steadily towards them until he looked at Hisana.

"Rukia!" Keigo cried, racing wildly towards the object of his affection. "Darling, beautiful Rukia!"

As he reached his petite love, he felt a sharp pain as his face made contact with the concrete sidewalk.

Hisana, caught off guard by the strange guy's antics, did the first thing that came to mind and knocked him off his feet, causing him to land on his face, his body bent backwards and legs dangling near his head.

"So cruel," Keigo whined, now lying on his back, draping his arm over his eyes. "Why most Rukia treat me so?"

Mizuiro shook his head disapprovingly at his friend.

"This is not Rukia," he declared. He turned to the young woman, noticing how similar she was to Rukia. "Sorry about that. I'm Mizuiro Kojima, and that there is Keigo Asano."

"I'm Hisana Kobayashi," Hisana said, eyeing Keigo warily.

Keigo, having recovered quickly, jumped to his feet before Hisana, already working on wooing the dark-haired beauty.

"Keigo Asano," he introduced, smiling.

"I just told her…"Mizuiro began, rolling his eyes.

"Can I help you with your groceries, my dear lady?" Keigo asked, ignoring Mizuiro. Before Hisana could reply, Keigo snatched the bags from her arms and the ground, pushing some into Mizuiro's arms as well.

"You really don't have to," Hisana said, reaching to take back her stuff.

"Of course, I do," Keigo stated, hefting the bags away from her attempts. "A delicate and fragile flower as you shouldn't carry such heavy bags."

A tick formed on Hisana's forehead at the mention of herself being fragile. Seeing this, Mizuiro kicked his friend's shin, getting a surprised yelp.

"Might as well," Mizuiro spoke to Hisana, "I'll try to keep him in line."

"Fine," Hisana sighed in defeat, "This way."

The two followed her towards her home. Hisana kept silent, listening to Keigo and Mizuiro's conversation.

"You really shouldn't pursue Rukia anymore, Keigo," Mizuiro was saying, "She and Ichigo are pretty much together."

"Never!" Keigo declared, "Ichigo doesn't deserve her! I won't give up!"

"You gave up on Orihime," Mizuiro said matter of fact.

"Yeah, but it's even because she's so hot and Uryuu is a nerd."

"Uh, excuse me," Hisana interrupted, "Do you mean Orihime Inoue?"

Mizuiro and Keigo exchanged surprised expressions.

"Yes," Mizuiro replied, "How do you know her?"

"I met her today," Hisana said, "Along with Chad."

"You know Chad, too?" Keigo asked.

"Yep," Hisana answered, smiling.

"Sheesh, we live in a small town."

The conversation continued, the topics ranging from school to family to hobbies and such. Before they knew it, they had reached Hisana's place.

"Hey, you live near me," Mizuiro stated.

"Me, too," Keigo agreed.

"Hmm." Hisana couldn't decide if it was a blessing to live so near to Keigo or a curse. She invited the two in, glancing at the clock. Seven o'clock in the evening.

After placing the bags on the counter, the guys went ahead and left, stating they had stuff to do.

"Hey, Hisana," Mizuiro began, turning back into the apartment, "If you'd like, Keigo and I could walk you to school Monday."

"That'd be great," Hisana replied, closing the fridge after putting away the groceries. "See ya then."

After they left, Hisana decided to move boxes to their designated rooms. She had a light dinner, then went to bed at nine.

* * *

The next day, Sunday, Hisana woke up early and went on a jog. She had been on the track team back at her old school and was hoping to make it on the team at Karakura High.

When she got back, she showered and dressed in sweats and a t-shirt. She tied her hair into a high ponytail. After eating lunch, she set to unpacking.

The rest of the day was spent organizing and decorating her place. At around eight, she finished, completely satisfied with her work. She ate dinner, cleaning her dishes from the day afterwards.

Setting out her uniform and school bag, Hisana tumbled into bed. Within minutes, she was fast asleep.

* * *

Toru perched on a roof, staring into the window of the building opposite to him. He watched as the target hustled around, unpacking and decorating. The lights went off one by one until she was in her room. Toru watched as she disappeared from view, returning changed into her bed clothes. She turned off the light, her silhouette barely visible in the sudden darkness.

Toru smirked lightly. Although she had not met the substitute soul reaper, she had met several of his friends. Plus, the brush with him and that other soul reaper earlier in the park.

_Lord Raiden will be pleased,_ he thought pleasantly. Glancing up at the full moon, Toru flashed off the rooftop, heading back towards the hideout.

A/N: Sorry for the late update...I had planned to update before the weekend last week but got sidetracked. Thanks so much for the reviews! I didn't realize how much they would fuel my inspiration on this story. I'm gonna try and keep you guessing for a while, but it'll get better. The next chapter is Hisana's first day at Karakura. Yay! Please keep up the reviews. Thanks.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach**

Chapter Two

The morning sunlight streamed through the window, waking Ichigo. He lay there momentarily, staring at the ceiling, when a shadow appeared outside his window. It came crashing through the window, skipping over Ichigo entirely, and landing roughly in the closet. Groaning, his normal scowl falling into place, Ichigo glanced at his clock. 7:30 a.m. _The little runt forgot to wake me,_ he grumbled to himself, his thoughts wondering to a short, dark-haired soul reaper. Standing up, he glared begrudgingly at the form struggling within his closet.

"Good morning, Ichigo!" The figure fell in a heap on the floor, manifesting into Isshin Kurosaki as he leapt to his feet and proceeded to attack his only son. Throwing a swift jab of his elbow into his father's face, Ichigo avoided Isshin's attempted punch.

"That's my boy!" Isshin exclaimed with pride, clutching his bleeding nose. "But if you think that will stop me, think again!"

Jumping in the air, Isshin looked to deliver a roundhouse kick to Ichigo's head as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Ichigo caught his father's leg in a firm grip and spun, hurling Isshin back out the window. Isshin fluttered in the air before falling with a shriek to the yard below. A loud thump reverberated throughout the house.

The twins were downstairs, Yuzu finishing cooking breakfast and Karin sitting at the table, twiddling with her fork. Karin looked up at the sound of her father's shriek, rolling her eyes at the daily routine.

"Looks like Ichigo's finally awake," she stated, digging into the food as Yuzu served it. Yuzu placed the completed food on the table, calling for Ichigo and Isshin to come eat.

Back in his room, Ichigo had just finished getting ready when he caught sight of a single sheet of paper placed neatly in the center of his desk. He eyed the paper warily, figuring it was from Rukia and dreading what it would say. Notes from Rukia usually led to a bus load of trouble.

Picking the sheet up, Ichigo glanced over it: _Went to school early to help Orihime and Tatsuki with a project. See you there, Rukia._ Ichigo peered disbelievingly at the message. There was no code to figure out and her silly, awful drawings of Chappy-like characters were no where to be seen.

Sighing, Ichigo crumpled the page and threw it into the waste basket. He grabbed his school bag as he left his room and headed down the stairs.

Isshin had made his way from the front lawn to the dining table, Yuzu cooing over his cuts and bruises. Karin ate quickly, throwing biting remarks towards her father and reprimanding Yuzu's concern.

"You shouldn't baby him so, Yuzu," Karin commented, clearing her finished dishes from the table. "He brought it on himself."

"Karin," Yuzu scolded, "How can you say that?"

"It's true."

After bandaging Isshin's wounds, Yuzu hastened to clean up before school. Ichigo had arrived by this time and was patiently eating, his thoughts revolving back to Rukia.

He found himself thinking of Rukia more often lately. There was less hollow activity the past few weeks and Ichigo and Rukia had found themselves extremely bored on most nights. Some friendly outings to movies and such led to having dinner one night and their entire relationship turning into something more. He found he liked the change, but he didn't know where they stood. And he couldn't explain what he felt for her.

"Ichigo," Yuzu huffed, exasperated, "You're going to be late for school."

Ichigo snapped out of his thoughts. "Right, thanks for breakfast, Yuzu," he said, rising from his seat. With his bag hanging from his right shoulder, Ichigo left the house and treaded towards school. "Maybe someday," he wondered aloud, placing a hand over his beating heart, "I'll understand what this feeling is."

* * *

"Welcome to Karakura High!"

Keigo flung his right arm before him, swinging it in a rather extravagant, welcoming gesture towards the school building. His body followed the motion, ending in a position where he balanced on his right foot, the other outstretched behind him, and his right arm still raised, the left mimicking his left leg. He resembled a statue perched on top of a fountain Hisana had once seen back in Tokyo. Hisana hid a smile behind her hand, pretending to brush her hair out of her face.

She wore the standard uniform: grey, suit jacket, white, button-up shirt with a red bow around her neck, and a skirt that matched the jacket and was a little too short for Hisana's taste. Knee-high black socks covered her calves and brown loafers completed the outfit. She had clipped her hair neatly at the base of her head, her usual strands falling to frame her face.

Mizuiro ignored his friend's theatrics, leading Hisana forward. As they passed, Keigo's arms went limp, his expression falling from an enthusiastic smile to a deeply depressed pout. Grudgingly, he followed the two before spotting a certain orange-haired friend of his and dashing towards him, his earlier disposition forgotten.

"Iiiichiiiigoooo!"

Ichigo dodged as Keigo came flying towards him, tripping him simultaneously. Keigo fell head over heels, sprawling in the grass near the fence. Ichigo glanced at the unflattering position Keigo was in before continuing inside. Chad came up beside Keigo and graciously lifted him off the ground and back onto his feet. Thanking Chad, Keigo hurried after Ichigo.

"So cruel, Ichigo," Keigo retorted, striding alongside, a disapproving look falling in place. "Is that any way to treat your best friend?"

Ichigo ignored this remark, looking behind and acknowledging Chad's presence.

"Morning, Chad," Ichigo said.

"Morning."

The three continued down the hall, Keigo rambling about some girl he had met over the weekend and how she was so into him. Ichigo and Chad walked silently, hardly listening to Keigo.

Ichigo's mind had wondered back to Rukia when he saw her walking beside Mizuiro in front of him. He saw she had done her hair and he was curious to learn why.

"Yo, Rukia!"

She continued walking, not glancing back as she rounded a corner with Mizuiro. Ichigo was flabbergasted. Why had she ignored him? Quickening his pace, Ichigo left Chad and Keigo and hurried towards where she had disappeared.

"Ichigo!"

Stunned, Ichigo turned to see Rukia strolling past Keigo and Chad beside Orihime and Tatsuki. Her hair was down, brushing her shoulders in her normal style. Ichigo quickly glanced around the corner, but didn't see this other Rukia. Was his mind playing tricks on him? Shaking his head visibly, he waited for the girls to join him.

Rukia looked up at him quizzically. He smirked down at her, forgetting what had troubled him. At his expression, Rukia smiled back, daringly grasping his right hand and holding it as they headed towards class. Ichigo brightened at the gesture before hiding it behind his mask. Rukia's smile widened, sensing his positive demeanor despite the scowl that now graced his face.

They entered their class ahead of Tatsuki, Orihime, Keigo, and Chad. Orihime headed straight towards Uryuu at his desk, Tatsuki hanging back to talk with Chizuru and the other girls. Keigo caught up with Mizuiro, asking about Hisana. Mizuiro explained that she was waiting to be introduced like other new students have done. Chad sat quietly at his desk. Ichigo and Rukia held hands until they separated to sit at their desks. There wasn't much free time before their teacher came in, ordering them to take their seats and quiet down.

"Alright, class," Ms. Ochi began, taking her place behind her desk. "We have a new student from Tokyo. So, let's give her a friendly welcome. You can come in now."

Hisana hesitated outside the door, a foreboding sensation clenching her heart. Swallowing, she steeled her nerves and entered the room. She was met with several audible gasps and a roomful of wide-eyed, open-mouthed expressions, save a special few whom she already knew.

Clutching the strap of her messenger bag tightly, Hisana stepped next to Ms. Ochi, who seemed oblivious to her students' reaction. Smiling brightly, Hisana waved a hand and introduced herself.

"Hi, I'm Hisana Kobayashi. It's very nice to be here."

The last phrase she uttered turned into a lie as the atmosphere continued to grow more uncomfortable and awkward by each passing moment. The students had recovered from their shock, but most were now whispering frantically amongst themselves.

"Okay, please take a seat in front of Rukia, Hisana," Ms. Ochi instructed.

Hisana searched for this Rukia, wondering if she was the same person others had mistaken her for. When she caught sight of the empty desk, she glanced at the girl seated behind it. Hisana's eyes widened slightly, seeing what could have been her twin sitting there, a strange, somehow sad expression on her face. An overwhelming sense of guilt and sorrow swept over her, weighing down on her. The feeling passed quickly, leaving Hisana bewildered. _What was that?_ she wondered, walking up the aisle.

She looked up and saw Orihime and Keigo waving at her enthusiastically. Chad gave her an encouraging smile compelling her to return it. Mizuiro rolled his eyes, smiling, as Keigo fell out of his seat. Hisana giggled at the sight, waving back at Orihime. She gazed at Rukia one last time before sitting.

She was watching the exchange between Hisana and the others before glancing over to an orange-haired guy sitting beside her. A twinge of familiarity tweaked Hisana's memory. She couldn't quite place where she had seen these two before though.

Shrugging her shoulders, Hisana sat down and gave her full attention to Ms. Ochi.

* * *

Lunchtime.

Rukia followed Ichigo up to the roof, where they normally ate with friends. Ichigo kept looking at her with concern, guiding her by the hand. Rukia smiled sadly at Ichigo, conveying she was fine without using words.

The shock of seeing Hisana brought back too many memories. _No_ she thought strictly, _this isn't Hisana. Stop fooling yourself. Hisana died…a long time ago._ _The same girl must be Hisana's reincarnation. She doesn't know anything of her past life_. A little bubble of hope began to form despite Rukia's efforts to stop it. Just the thought that she could have her sister back, her only blood relation, was overpowering.

Ichigo lead Rukia to their spot, pulling her down to sit right beside him. She had been silent throughout class, oblivious to the lessons Ms. Ochi was teaching. It worried him, but he knew Rukia could handle it. And she would talk to him when she was ready.

Orihime bounced over and sat on the other side of Rukia, offering some of her lunch. Rukia declined, pulling out of her funk. Keigo swiftly snatched the spot near Orihime, but was soon relocated by Uryuu, who grabbed him by his collar and tossed him to the side. Chad sat Indian-style beside Uryuu, followed by Tatsuki. Keigo dropped moodily beside Ichigo, glaring at Uryuu. The bunch was getting into their usual banter when Mizuiro came up…with Hisana.

Hisana was a little nervous sitting with Rukia after what had happened earlier. Rukia had seemed so sad and thoughtful throughout class. Hisana could literally feel the heat of her gaze on the back of her neck.

Mizuiro sat next to Tatsuki, leaving space open for Hisana. Seeing Hisana, Keigo leapt to his feet, bright and cheerful.

"Sit with us, dear Hisana!" Keigo cried, grabbing her hand. Hisana protested as Keigo yanked her towards the group. Her feet skidded along the ground, nearly tripping her when he stopped. Pulling her hand out of his grasp, Hisana bowed before the group.

"May I join you?" she asked, hopefully.

"What's with the formality?" Tatsuki said, glancing up from her food. "Go ahead."

Each member voiced their agreement, even Rukia and the orange-haired boy. Hisana smiled brightly, thanking them before settling down between Keigo and Mizuiro. She sat on her knees, conscious about her short skirt and Keigo's perverted demeanor.

"Hisana, would you like to try some of my banana and bean-paste sandwiches? I had made too many this morning," Orihime offered.

Despite the unusual ingredients, Hisana accepted a sandwich. To the surprise of everyone, who would have sat it down and forgotten about it, Hisana took a bite.

Rukia watched in amusement as Hisana's face scrunched up briefly. She hid her distaste behind a thoughtful expression, chewing slowly as if testing the flavors. When she finally swallowed, she had a pained look in her eyes before smiling cheerfully.

"That was wonderful, Orihime!" Hisana lied, taking hold of the sandwich. Preparing herself, Hisana gulped down the sandwich quickly, barely tasting it. Uryuu and Tatsuki, Orihime's usual taste-testers, gawked at Hisana. Chad and Mizuiro just stared along with Ichigo. Keigo had tears glistening in his eyes, mumbling about how such a brave and beautiful girl Hisana is. Orihime watched Hisana wolf down her sandwich eagerly, a brilliant smile plastered on her face.

"Oh, thank you, Hisana," she said, reaching for another sandwich. "Would you like another one?"

Hisana nearly fainted when Orihime asked, but was saved when Rukia started laughing. Everyone's attention turned towards her as Hisana grabbed the sandwich from Orihime's hand and tossed it unceremoniously over the roof.

"What the…!" a male voice cried, "Who did this?"

Rukia only laughed harder, Hisana joining in. The two finally cooled down, grinning knowingly at each other.

"Are you two okay?" Keigo asked, eyeing them curiously. "You're acting strange."

Hisana and Rukia both stuck their tongues out at him, causing the rest to start laughing.

Quieting down, Hisana asked the orange-haired guy his name.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," he replied, with a shrug.

"Ichigo," she repeated, "That's a nice name."

Ichigo gaped at her. "Really? I don't get many compliments for my name."

"Yes. Doesn't it mean, 'protect one' or 'one who protects'?"

"Yeah, I used to believe my name meant I was destined to protect someone or something."

"I guess it depends on the person."

"Whatdya mean?" Keigo asked.

"Well," Hisana replied, "There are people who only protect one specific person, place, or thing…and others…that are guardians of sorts and protects everyone."

"Which do you think Ichigo is?" Rukia asked curiously.

Gazing at Ichigo contemplatively, Hisana wondered for a few minutes. His expression didn't really show what he was like, but Hisana saw warmth, kindness, and a fiery determination set in his brown eyes.

"Both," she said, turning to Rukia. "I believe Ichigo's the type to always protect those around him and the ones he loves. But there's going to be just one thing, or person, he protects above all else."

Rukia nodded in agreement, gazing fondly at the confused Ichigo beside her.

"I thought his name meant 'strawberry'," Keigo shot out. Ichigo glared at him in annoyance. Before he could pummel the brunette, Hisana stopped him with another question. To Rukia.

"Rukia, do you believe in reincarnations?"

Ichigo froze, his hand inches away from Keigo's collar. Keigo stopped trying to defend himself and stared. The others went rigid as well, turning to gaze at the two dark-haired girls.

Rukia looked at the girl across from her in shock. Well, of course she believed in reincarnation. She was a soul reaper. She knew all about the continuing cycle of life: life in the transient world, death, then life in Soul Society before being reborn in the living world. She just wondered why Hisana was asking.

"Yes," Rukia replied, "Why do you ask?"

Hisana shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, her eyes closed, aware of the group's reaction to her inquiry. "We look, and act apparently, so similar. I was just wondering if maybe we were related in another life. Maybe as sisters."

She opened her eyes, locking onto Rukia's before continuing, "I always wanted a sister."

Rukia just stared at Hisana. _She knows,_ Rukia thought frantically. The perception in her eyes was clear. Hisana must know about her past life in Soul Society.

All too quickly, the moment passed and Hisana shook her head. She massaged her temples, wondering what she was thinking about.

"Sorry," she began, smiling at Rukia apologetically, "Sometimes I don't understand what I say. It's weird, but I…"

The bell rang, ending lunch. Hisana didn't finish her sentence and Rukia didn't bother asking. Packing up the remainders of her lunch, Hisana followed the others back to class.

* * *

The school day went by fast after lunch. Hisana was more comfortable around Rukia now. They even spoke after class had ended.

"Hisana."

Hisana looked up as she packed her books into her bag. Rukia had her book bag slung over her shoulder already, nodding for Ichigo to go ahead.

"About lunch," she said, "I'm sorry. Your question caught me off guard. And to be honest, I had an older sister, but she died when I was a child. I was always told I looked like her."

Hisana nodded, touched that Rukia was sharing this with her after barely knowing her for a day.

"Seeing you today, and your comment at lunch, just brought up sad memories for me. It wasn't your fault and I would like for us to be friends."

Rukia held still, waiting for Hisana. She was stunned when Hisana dropped her bag and hugged her. After a moment, Rukia wrapped her arms around Hisana's waist, hugging her back.

The familiarity of the embrace brought unshed tears to Hisana's eyes. The previous feeling of guilt and sorrow encompassing her once more. Wiping her eyes, Hisana pulled away.

"I would like that very much, Rukia," she said, retrieving her bag from the ground.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow?" she asked, heading towards the door, Hisana walking along.

"Actually, I have track tryouts right after school," Hisana replied, "But afterwards I'm free."

"Good. Tatsuki, Orihime, and I were going to have a girls' night. Want to come?"

"Oh, yes." Hisana smiled, enthused about hanging out with Rukia and the others.

Rukia returned the gesture. They continued outside, unaware of a silhouette following behind them, hidden in the shadows.

"She's met the substitute soul reaper," Kenta whispered to his medallion. "Our first step is complete."

"Good." Raiden's face swirled in the contours of the onyx, appearing pleased with the news. "It's time for her to remember."

* * *

It was silent as Ichigo and Rukia walked home. Unconsciously, Ichigo had taken hold of Rukia's hand as they left the school grounds.

"So," Ichigo began, "You and the girls going out tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Rukia replied, smiling up at Ichigo. "Maybe see a movie and then hang out at the mall."

"Okay." Ichigo smiled back, pondering whether to bring up Hisana. He went with his instinct.

"Listen, Rukia," Ichigo said, seriously, "If you ever want to talk about…Hisana…I'm here for you."

Squeezing his hand, Rukia rested her head against his arm.

"I know," she whispered, closing her eyes. "Right now, it's a lot of emotions: hope, happiness, longing, sadness, some anger. But I believe Hisana is my sister's reincarnation. And while I'll never know my real sister, I can be happy with knowing this other form. Just because she lost her memories of me and her past doesn't mean she isn't the same behavior-wise as she was before."

Ichigo nodded, agreeing with her. Reincarnation was rebirth, a way of starting over fresh. It seemed unlikely that the person's own characteristics would be rewritten as well as their memories.

Rukia's cell phone went off just as they reached the clinic. Rukia, alert and serious, opened the phone and checked the monitor.

"It's near the shopping district," she stated, reaching into her bag for her soul candy. Popping the mod soul into her mouth, Rukia's spirit form was ejected out of her gigai.

The mod soul, Chappy, now occupied her fake body, standing at attention. By this time, Ichigo had already left his body.

"Take care of Ichigo's body," Rukia hollered as she raced off towards the hollow. Ichigo followed alongside, matching her pace.

Flash-stepping to the shopping district, Rukia faltered under the spiritual pressure of the hollow.

"Do you feel it?" she asked.

"Yeah," Ichigo replied, "It's powerful and it's nearby."

"Not the hollow," Rukia stated, sensing two different spiritual pressures. "There's another being with spiritual pressure here somewhere."

Ichigo picked up on the other immediately. It wasn't terribly powerful, but it was enough to draw a hungry hollow. Or more. Ichigo voiced his opinion to Rukia.

"It's possible," she declared, "This person could be like you were, but there hasn't been much activity for weeks now. I don't understand."

Ichigo pondered the past weeks, searching what had changed. Then realization dawned on him.

"Who do we know that just moved here barely three days ago?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Rukia's eyes widened. "Hisana!"

Rukia took off abruptly, rushing towards the hollow's location. Ichigo swore before launching himself after her. A terrible panic had set in Rukia's heart, fearful to lose Hisana just as she had found her. Ichigo had caught up, trying to reassure her as they hurtled past buildings.

Ichigo stopped at the sudden disappearance of the hollow's spiritual pressure. Rukia crashed into him from behind, sensing the same as Ichigo. Both pressures had vanished.

"What does this mean?" she inquired, confused.

"I don't know," Ichigo admitted, "Maybe it's not Hisana. Whoever it was, it can control its spiritual pressure."

_But what if it is?_ Rukia worried. Ichigo saw the skeptic look on Rukia's face.

"Let's not jump to conclusions," he advised. Rukia glanced up at him, cursing his ability to read her mind. "I'm sure Hisana is not some evil mastermind bent on destroying the world."

Rukia scoffed at the thought, seeing Hisana in dark clothes and cape, laughing maniacally on top of a pile of corpses. Then her memory flashed back to when she had been 'Dark Rukia' as she was named. She cringed at the mental picture.

"Okay," she sighed, "Now that's a scary thought."

Ichigo nodded, thinking of the same thing. Rukia opened her cell phone, checking to make sure the hollow was gone. The monitor was clear.

"Hm." Closing the phone, Rukia jumped onto Ichigo's back, surprising him.

"Home, Jeeves," she commanded, a mock superior expression on her face.

"Lazy, little runt," Ichigo murmured, earning a smack to the back of his head. "Hey! Be nice or you can walk."

Rukia pouted. "Okay, fine."

Ichigo shook his head in frustration. Flash-stepping on top of buildings, Ichigo arrived back at the clinic in a matter of minutes. Chappy was still outside, sitting on Ichigo's body. Ichigo griped about the abuse of his body as he slipped back into it. Rukia returned to her gigai, replacing the soul candy into her bag.

"Come on," she said, waving off Ichigo's complaints. "We're late for dinner."

"Great," Ichigo remarked sarcastically. He was already imagining what his insane father would do. "How about you go first?"

Rukia looked at him curiously, but went ahead into the house. Ichigo prayed his father would be too excited gushing over Rukia to remember they were late. His hopes went up in flames when he entered the house, meeting a hard punch in the face. He was hurled back, crashing into the door.

"What the hell!" he cried, looking up to see Rukia smirking down at him. "Rukia?"

Rukia remained silently, stalking back to the dining room. Isshin gazed at his son in sympathy.

"Ah, Ichigo, you really shouldn't send your beloved to face the wolves by herself," he commented, "Especially when the wolves are your own to deal with."

Ichigo stared at his dad warily. This must be a trick.

"How could you do such a thing to the future mother of your children!"

There it was.

Ichigo punched his father in the gut, silencing what would become an embarrassing and overdone dialogue on his and Rukia's relationship. Isshin slumped into a ball on the floor, complaining about his cold-hearted son. Ichigo went into the dining room, taking his seat beside Rukia.

Rukia ignored Ichigo as he sat down. He had actually sent her in first, knowing full well what Isshin would do. She had barely dodged Isshin's attack before he realized it was her and proceeded to beg for her forgiveness. She agreed to forgive Isshin if he let her be the one to welcome Ichigo home. Naturally, he agreed.

"Dad, dinner's ready!" Yuzu called, placing the final dish on the table and sitting beside Karin. Isshin stumbled to the table, slumping his chair before perking at the delicious aroma of Yuzu's cooking.

"It smells great," he cooed, eagerly waiting to dig in.

Ichigo glanced at Rukia as he ate. He shouldn't have sent her in first, but his plan had worked. Now if only Rukia hadn't hit him.

His hand ran over his sore jaw unconsciously. Ichigo caught Rukia's eyes staring up at his movements, satisfaction written clearly on her face. He began to scowl when he saw the small glint of regret in her eyes.

"Hmm, doesn't hurt," he stated, a superior smirk replacing the scowl. "You should work on your punches, Rukia."

He felt a sharp pain in his foot as Rukia stomped her heel down, hard. The reaction he was waiting for. He yelped as expected and started bickering with her. Yuzu tried to calm them, Karin telling her not to bother and Isshin to stay out of it or she'd disown him as her father.

Karin watched the two across from her as their argument grew in dynamics. She smirked to herself as she continued eating. _Some things never change._

* * *

_The hallway was dark and cold. Hisana shivered in the tattered kimono she was wearing. Her bare feet were numb as she trudged along the frozen ground. She didn't know where she was and was frightened._

_Hisana could hardly see in front of her so she kept to one side, running her hand along the wall. It was endless, no doors or windows. Panic set in when a crashing noise sounded behind her._

_"Who's there?" she called, facing the way she had come. Heavy stomps echoed throughout the hall, a sickening scraping sound following along. The steps grew closer. Hisana inched back as a hulking mass appeared before her. It was a man, dragging a rusted hammer. He was tall, taller than Chad, and huge, his bulk filling the hallway._

_"Hisana!"_

_The masculine voice boomed from behind her. Turning away from the man, Hisana glanced over her shoulder. Still, all she could see was darkness. She was beginning to think she imagined it when it spoke again._

_"Hisana, run!"_

_Facing back, Hisana saw the man start charging towards her, his hammer raised above his head. Screaming, Hisana ducked as he swung the hammer at her head, destroying the wall. Tumbling to the side, Hisana picked herself up and dashed down the hall._

_"Someone help me!" she cried, tears pouring from her eyes. She could hear the man just a few feet behind her. She kept her gaze forward, focused on getting away. Despite her fitness, the hulking man was gaining on her._

_A dim light appeared ahead of her, giving her hope. Hisana pushed on, forcing every shred of energy she had to propel her to the light. The light grew brighter as it got closer, streaming through an open door. As Hisana neared, she saw a hand reach out through the light. Without hesitation, Hisana grabbed the hand, allowing it to pull her through the doorway, away from her assailant._

_She fell down, her hand still in her rescuer's grasp, the light flooding all around her. Her hand was released momentarily before strong, comforting arms surrounded her, pressing her gently against a firm body. She felt safe and loved within the embrace, reflexively wrapping her arms around the waist and snuggling into the chest._

_Hisana saw he wore white with a pale green scarf around his neck. His hair was long and dark. When she looked up, she couldn't see his face. The light obscured his features from her._

_"Who are you?" Hisana wondered, reaching a hand to touch his face. Her hand brushed nothing, the man dissolving into the light._

_"Remember me, Hisana," the light sighed._

_"Wait! Don't go!" she cried, desperately grabbing for him. She grasped nothing in her hands, falling away from where he stood. Images swirled past her: a rundown village, a man with short, brown hair and a friendly smile, a beautiful baby with big, midnight-blue eyes, a luxurious mansion, and then finally, the retreating form of the man who had saved her._

_Hisana shut her eyes from the images, overwhelmed._

_"Please," she whispered, "I don't understand."_

Hisana woke with a start, drenched in sweat, tangled in her blanket. She sat up, resting her head in her hands. She panted heavily, extremely exhausted. She peeked at her alarm clock: 5 a.m. Groaning softly, she got out of bed and went to the kitchen. Retrieving a glass from the cupboard, she filled it with water from the sink. She took a sip, walking out onto the terrace.

The breeze cooled her down, settling her jumpy nerves. Hisana leaned on the railing and stared at the horizon. She reflected on her dream as she drank her water. What could it mean?

"I forgot something," she admitted, realizing the truth of her words. "Something very important."

She hesitated for an instant, thinking about the strange sensation coursing throughout her body. She smiled, placing a hand over her heart.

"I want to remember."

**A/N:** So I worked hard to get this chapter done before Thanksgiving break. I'm planning on writing the next two during break so I can put them up when I get back. Yay! The inciting incident will be coming up soon and then the plot will unfurl. Next chapter, the girls' night out. Thanks, guys!


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

Chapter Three

"Unacceptable!"

Raiden paced furiously, his temper igniting the air. Masumi stood in the center of the room, watching Raiden's raid. His features blank and emotionless, Masumi bore the recriminations of his boss.

"You were supposed to lead her to her earliest memories, to me," Raiden lectured, running a shaky hand through his hair. "So I could be her guide…not Kuchiki!"

"I apologize," Masumi said.

Raiden's powers flared momentarily, shattering the window. The glass crashed to the ground, surprised shrieks sounding from the ragged people of the 78th Rukon District. Masumi flinched under Raiden's burst. Reigning in his spiritual pressure, Raiden stopped pacing and peered down at Masumi.

"No matter," he replied, "We'll just have to move to the next step sooner than I planned. Go, Masumi. Have Kenta take Toru's place watching Hisana. It's time to prepare for the arrival of our guest."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

_She fell once more into the light, carried within the blinding vortex. She spun softly, cushioned by the light. It whirled around her, soundless and beautiful. Stopping in midair, Hisana gazed around her._

_There was a dirty ground below her. Delicately, she extended a leg to the ground, her foot pressing against the dusty surface, before hopping down. The white light retreated into the sky, disappearing in the bright afternoon sky._

_"Where am I?" Hisana wondered aloud. She looked at her surroundings, seeing the rundown streets of a village and ragged people trudging along, ignorant of her arrival._

_"Hmm." Hisana moved wordlessly through the crowds. Peering around a corner, she caught sight of a familiar dark head and dashed towards it._

_"Rukia!" she called, reaching to touch the girl's shoulder. Her hand passed through the flesh, startling Hisana. She gaped at her hands, soundless words forming on her lips. She called to her friend once more, but stopped when the girl turned._

_Hisana covered her mouth, staring disbelievingly at her reflection. The girl had short hair like Rukia's and was malnourished, but Hisana could tell it was herself. Her replica wore tattered clothing and carried a baby in her arms. Hisana recognized the child from her dream the other night._

I'm dreaming,_ Hisana concluded, watching her copy wander past vendors protectively. She followed along, curious. The dream-Hisana hesitated near an open doorway, turning to gaze back towards the real Hisana. Hisana paused, a quizzical quirk to her eyebrows, and spun slowly to look behind her. A large procession of well-dressed men and women appeared beside her, marching through the suddenly bare street. They wore black kimonos, blades at their waists, just like the strange beings Hisana had seen in the living world. One man wore a white haori…a pale, green scarf around his neck, flowing behind with his long, raven hair._

_Hisana nearly had a heart attack as she watched the retreating forms of the group and that one particular man. Unconsciously, she had started walking after the group, but stopped beside her dream self. Once the company vanished, Hisana peered at her copy._

_She continued to stare at where the group had been with a wondering and warm expression. The baby was held securely within her embrace, sleeping soundly and carefree. Her trance ended and the dream-Hisana glanced at the child in her arms before looking at the abandoned water cart beside her. Readjusting her grip on the baby, the replica snatched a small water jug and sprinted down the alley._

_"Wha…wait!" Hisana sputtered, taking off after her duplication. As she hurried by broken crates and barrels, a huge man came crashing through the debris, frightening her. He yelled after her angrily, pounding heavily on the path. Hisana didn't think and continued to run, forgetting he couldn't see her. Her heart pounded painfully, adrenaline pumping in her veins._

_Her other self weaved through the streets, her pursuer a few yards behind her. Hisana kept up with her, a ghost-like barrier between the man and her copy. As she glanced back at the furious seller, she saw him trip over an extended leg. Hisana faltered in her strides, stopping to watch. The leg belonged to a tan, brunette man with worn clothing and bare feet. The new guy straightened, spinning away from his victim._

_"Run!" he cried, racing off. Hisana turned and saw the other Hisana standing next to her. The man grabbed the dream-Hisana's sleeve and pulled her along after him._

_Sighing in exasperation, Hisana took off after the two. _What is going on? _She wondered. She heard the vendor curse once more, but didn't hear any sounds of pursuit. She chanced a peek behind and saw him still sprawled on the ground. Smirking, she continued on._

_The other two ducked around a corner, into an alley, curling behind some stacked boxes. Hisana paused beside them. She was out of breath and tired. So were the others._

_"Sorry," the man said, wiping his forehead. He glanced over at dream-Hisana, a sheepish grin on his face. "You know, for yanking you along."_

_"It's okay," she replied, checking the baby. "You saved us. Thank you."_

_"It was nothing." He leaned back against the wall, his hands behind his head. His hair fell a little past his ears in disheveled tangles. His eyes were dark brown, almost black; his features were strong and sharp. He had a thin, white scar running down his face, starting on the bridge of his nose, between his eyes, and ending at the corner of his mouth on the left side._

_Hisana watched the exchange curiously, wondering if this was actually a dream…or a memory. The child had awoken through the chaos, but she remained silent._

_"My name is…" the man said, his eyes warm and friendly, focusing on the real Hisana. She blinked back, dumbfounded. Was he talking to her? He spoke his name, but Hisana couldn't hear it._

_"What?" she asked, feeling a slight tugging around her midriff. A white haze began to cloud her vision; the light enveloping her once again. The dream-Hisana and child disappeared within the light. The man remained, his features obscured._

_"My name is…"_

* * *

"Would you like something to eat, Rukia? Tatsuki?" Orihime asked, popping her head out of the kitchen to look at her friends gathered around her table. Her eyes wandered to Hisana, asleep on the window seat. "Hmm…should we wake Hisana?"

Rukia looked over at Hisana. There were dark circles forming around Hisana's eyes and Rukia was worried. She was still curious about what had happened the other day with the hollow, but seeing Hisana so exhausted, she refrained from interrogating her. Hisana had seemed fine at school, reassuring everyone that she was just a little tired; however, after the track try-outs, what energy she had left had evaporated. Rukia had stayed to watch and support Hisana. She didn't think she would have to practically carry the girl back to her house.

Isshin had very graciously, and without any silly antics, checked Hisana, stating it was only extreme exhaustion. Rukia suggested Hisana skip the girls' night, but Hisana refused, waving off her condition. She ended up taking a shower and borrowing clothes since Rukia didn't want her leaving her sight. When they had arrived at Orihime's, Rukia forced Hisana to take a nap while they waited for another friend to arrive. She agreed and curled up on Orihime's window seat, asleep within seconds.

"No, let her sleep a little longer," Rukia replied, "No, thank you, Orihime. I'm preparing to gorge on popcorn at the movies."

"Same here," Tatsuki said, lounging back on her arms. "How about some tea?"

"Oooh, alright," Orihime agreed giddily, "I have a new blend I want to try: rosemary, pineapple, and ginger."

Rukia and Tatsuki blanched, a drop of sweat appearing on their foreheads. Orihime retracted into the kitchen, noisily gathering her teapot and cups.

"I thought tea was a safe option," Tatsuki complained, cringing.

"Nothing's safe when it comes to Orihime," Rukia stated, deciding to worm out of drinking the tea.

Tatsuki nodded, looking over at Hisana's sleeping form. She noticed Hisana's head jerking from side to side and her limbs trembling; a light sheen of sweat covering her face. Worried, Tatsuki stood up and went over to the seat.

"Hisana," she said, gently shaking the girl's shoulder. "Wake up, Hisana."

Rukia joined her, sitting on the edge next to Hisana. "Come on, Hisana. Wake up."

Hisana continued to tremble, refusing to wake. She began to whimper, curling into a ball. Rukia began shaking Hisana forcefully as Tatsuki ran to the kitchen. She returned with a glass of water and Orihime in tow.

* * *

_She was back in the hallway, wondering who the man had been and why she couldn't hear his name. There were lit lanterns hanging on the walls now, illuminating the hall. Hisana couldn't see any doors or windows, just like before. Fear prickled down her spine when she remembered what had happened last time and bloomed when the hulking mass appeared abruptly before her._

_He didn't have the hammer anymore, but just his appearance sent Hisana riveting in fright. She spun and sprinted down the hallway, hoping _he _would save her. When she didn't hear anything behind her, she stopped and turned back around. She reeled back as he flashed in front of her, falling and hitting her head hard against the ground._

_"What do you want!" she cried, scooting back. He continued to loom over her, silent, with a spiteful gleam in his eyes. He reached down to grab her leg, but she slapped his hand away. He seized her arm instead, his grip tight. She yelped in pain._

_"Help me!" she called, thinking of her savior from her previous dream. She had never felt so helpless. She could ward off hollows, but the usual pressure weighing in the pit of her stomach was gone, empty. She sagged in defeat, tears pouring down her face. She couldn't call for him; she didn't even know his name._

Yes, you do.

_She blinked at the thought, confused. He was the same man, wearing the white haori, walking in the dusty streets earlier. He had helped her the last time. He had told her to remember, she must have known him. But she couldn't even fathom what his name was._

_She wiped the tears from her face and began to fight against her assailant again._

* * *

Tatsuki swore, Orihime gasping in shock as Hisana knocked the glass of water out of Tatsuki's hand. Orihime grabbed the glass and hurried to refill it and get a towel to clean up the mess.

Rukia grasped Hisana's flailing arms, hugging her tightly. "Please, Hisana! Wake up!"

* * *

_The man's grip held as Hisana struggled. She had even tried biting, but it didn't work. As she began to lose hope, she heard Rukia's voice._

"Please, Hisana! Wake up!"

_Then, his voice sounded in the darkness. "Remember me, Hisana. My name is…"_

_Realization dawned as she finished his sentence._

_"Byakuya!"_

_She fell away from the man, her arm free from his grasp._

* * *

"Byakuya!"

Hisana bolted up, knocking the glass from Tatsuki's hand a second time. Rukia clung to her, encircling Hisana's arms within her grip. Orihime sighed in relief. Tatsuki stared at Hisana, annoyed.

"Are you okay, Hisana?" Orihime asked. Rukia released her hold on Hisana and stood up. Hisana looked up at the three and smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah," she replied, scratching the back of her head. "It was a nightmare. I'm sorry."

Tatsuki nodded, crouching to clean up the spilled water. Orihime hurried back to the kitchen when the kettle began whistling. Rukia remained, staring down at Hisana. Hisana turned away from her, playing with her hands in her lap.

"What did you say?" Rukia asked, disbelief written clearly on her face. The reincarnation of her sister had actually awoken from a dream, calling out the name of her past life's husband, Rukia's brother. Hisana looked up in confusion.

"What did I say?" she questioned, brows furrowing in confusion.

"You called out 'Byakuya' when you woke up," Tatsuki stated, standing up with the damp towel. She didn't know much about soul reapers and whatever else, but she knew when something paranormal happened. She eyed Rukia, noticing her tense shoulders and rigid spine.

"I'm sorry," Hisana apologized, "I don't know why I said that."

"Tea's done," Orihime called, carrying in a tray. She placed it on the table and sat down. Tatsuki joined her. Rukia paused, glancing at Hisana once more before sitting down at the table. Hisana looked at Rukia, feeling ashamed and guilty. She didn't like lying to them, especially Rukia, but they wouldn't understand. She doesn't even understand what's going on.

"May I use the bathroom, Orihime?" Hisana asked.

"Sure," Orihime said, pointing towards it. "It's over there, that last door."

Thanking her, Hisana hurried to the bathroom.

"Something's definitely off with her," Tatsuki commented.

Orihime nodded. Rukia remained silent.

Hisana slumped against the door, rubbing her pounding head. She pulled up her sleeve and looked at her right arm, bruises marking her pale flesh where he had held her. This was getting weird. First, unexplainable emotions caught her off-guard, now realistic dreams that left her exhausted and her body beaten when she awoke. Tugging the sleeve back into place, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror.

She unclipped her hair and ran her fingers through it, combing out the tangles. She pulled half of it back up and secured it, leaving the rest to trail down her back and end at her waist. She smoothed the wrinkles in the yellow sundress she had borrowed from Rukia and adjusted the white, long-sleeved cardigan she wore over it. No one would be able to see the bruises if she was careful. Satisfied, Hisana exited the bathroom and collided with the large chest of a tall, strawberry-blonde woman.

"Oh, you're right, Orihime," the woman said, scrutinizing Hisana. "She looks just like Rukia."

Hisana peered behind the woman at Rukia, an unspoken question transferring between the two. Rukia smiled and nodded towards the woman.

"This is Rangiku Matsumoto," Rukia stated, "She's the friend we were waiting for."

"Oh," Hisana said, turning back to Rangiku. "My name is Hisana Kobayashi. Nice to meet you, Rangiku."

"Oh, Hisana!" Rangiku cried, gathering Hisana in her arms. "It's so wonderful to finally meet you."

Hisana struggled in Rangiku's grasp, her feet dangling off the floor. Orihime joined Rangiku and the two were gushing about their shopping trip, oblivious to Hisana's plight. Tatsuki shook her head at the duo, smirking. Rukia suppressed a giggle, her eyes gleaming in delight. She could always depend on Rangiku to lighten the mood.

"We need to get going," Rukia declared, heading towards the door with Tatsuki. Rangiku dropped Hisana and, along with Orihime, skipped out the door. Hisana plopped to the floor, landing on her bottom, and stared as the two disappeared. Rukia remained, leaning against the door frame, a knowing smile on her face. Hisana smiled back and stood up. Together, Hisana and Rukia caught up with their friends as they headed towards Karakura's shopping district.

* * *

The shadow slipped past the squad six barracks, Renji Abarai hot on its tail. Ikkaku and Yumichika hustled alongside, swords drawn.

"What the hell is it?" Renji asked, leaping onto the roof. The others followed his example as they pursued the intruder.

"No idea," Ikkaku replied, scowling, "But it has spiritual pressure."

Yumichika nodded in agreement. "Correct. Though it's masking it."

Renji grunted in response, faltering when he sensed several captains' presences. They were gathered in the courtyard within squad 6 barracks. The shadow disappeared in the courtyard, its spiritual pressure vanishing as well, replaced by the appearance of another captain.

"What just happened?" Ikkaku questioned, halting next to Renji. Yumichika joined them, staring down at the gathered captains. Captains Kyoraku, Ukitake, and Unohana stood together in the center of the yard. The others, Captains Zaraki, Kuchiki, Soi Fon, and Kurotsuchi, were scattered, each turning to gaze at the three on the roof. Renji flashed before his captain with the others at his heels.

"Captain," he began, bowing, "Ten minutes ago, an unknown being appeared near Sokyoku Hill. We pursued it past squad 4 and 5 barracks until it vanished here in the courtyard."

Byakuya remained apathetic and calm, barely looking at his lieutenant. An unsettling feeling of foreboding washed over him. He had sensed the same presence and decided to investigate, but found nothing, save the arrival of the others.

"We all had felt the same apparition," Jyuushiro concluded, glancing around at each of his fellow captains. Shunsui nodded, his expression serious. Each agreed in some form.

"I was hoping to fight the intruder," Kenpachi commented, dejectedly swinging his unsheathed sword to rest on his shoulders. "See if they were a worthy opponent."

"As Commander in Chief of the Secret Corps, it is my duty to extricate any, and all, intruders of the Seireitei," Soi Fon declared.

Silence surrounded the group as each pondered over what had happened. None noticed Captain Kurotsuchi, unusually quiet and uninvolved, smirking devilishly under his headdress. _The fools won't know what hit them,_ he thought, watching as Soi Fon, Shunsui, and Jyuushiro vanished to report to the Captain Commander. _The plan's coming along perfectly._

* * *

"How was your night?" Ichigo asked as Rukia and Orihime entered Urahara's shop. Chad, Uryuu, Urahara, Yoruichi, and Ichigo were gathered around a table in the usual room.

"It was great!" Orihime exclaimed, bouncing over to sit by Uryuu. "Rangiku and I bought a lot of clothes. And the movie was so heartwarming."

A dreamy, wistful expression appeared on her face, her hands clasped to the side with stars twinkling above her head. "The touching story of a young woman losing her memories in a car accident and her ever caring and understanding husband helping her to regain them. It was so beautiful."

Rukia shook her head, rolling her eyes. She and Tatsuki had voted for the action-packed thriller, but were outranked by Orihime, Rangiku, and poor Hisana, who was hoodwinked onto their side. Her lips tipped into a small smile as she took her spot next to Ichigo. Uryuu gazed fondly at his girlfriend's theatrical reenactment of her night. His mood dampened when she mentioned Hisana's episode at her house before they had left.

"Is she alright?" Ichigo questioned, glancing down at Rukia. Her face was drawn and solemn, her shoulders slumped.

"Yes," Rukia replied, meeting Orihime's worried gaze before looking up at Ichigo. "I'll admit it frightened me. Earlier, she nearly collapsed after her try-outs. Your father looked over her, saying she was only exhausted and needed rest. Since Hisana refused to miss tonight, I had her take a nap while we waited for Rangiku."

"Where is Rangiku, by the way?" Yoruichi asked, "I expected her to come along with you two."

"She had to return to Soul Society," Orihime answered.

Rukia chuckled softly. "She had apparently skipped out on a ton of paperwork and Captain Hitsugaya was furious."

Everyone laughed, imagining the white-haired captain chasing Rangiku with Hyorinmaru in hand. Rukia sobered up before continuing about Hisana.

"Hisana became restless and thrashed in her sleep. We tried several times to wake her, but couldn't. She finally woke on her own."

"I think she was having a nightmare," Orihime pointed out, "But what she had said when she awoke…"

Orihime trailed off, gazing at Rukia with concern. Ichigo followed her gaze, waiting for one of them to finish.

Rukia breathed deeply. "She called out my brother's name."

Ichigo inhaled sharply. The rest remained silent, shock written clearly on their faces.

"Really?" Urahara asked, curious.

Rukia nodded.

A thought came to Ichigo then. "Is it possible that Hisana still has memories of her previous life in Soul Society?"

Urahara shared a glance with Yoruichi before replying. "Honestly, I'm not sure. This would be the first case I've ever encountered."

"In Soul Society, we were taught that when you die, you are reincarnated in the transient world," Yoriuichi explained, directing her gaze towards the young adults. "All memory of your life there would be washed away. Similar to when dying in the living world, some souls don't remember their life before when they move on."

"Do you think Hisana knows about soul reapers and hollows?" Uryuu asked Rukia.

"I don't know," she replied, her brows creasing. "Why do you ask?"

Uryuu paused. "Because she has spiritual pressure."

A crack of unbearable silence washed over the group, each processing Uryuu's statement in alarm. Orihime gazed at Rukia, who was gaping at Uryuu. Ichigo's expression imitated Rukia's and Orihime couldn't help but giggle. They both turned to her and she blushed, apologizing. They turned back to Uryuu.

"Are you serious?" Ichigo spat in disbelief.

"Yes, I'm quite serious," Uryuu retorted, readjusting his glasses. "I hadn't noticed it in class, but during lunch that first day, my senses picked up on it among our group. I don't know how strong she is, but she has incredible control."

"How can you tell?" Chad asked, breaking his silence for the first time that night.

"Compared to Ichigo's, which is sloppy and overpowering, her spiritual pressure was calm and clean, kind of like some soul reapers I've met," Uryuu replied, tilting his head in Rukia's direction. "Like Rukia, for example."

"What did you…?" Ichigo began, scowling angrily at the obnoxious Quincy. His hands balled into fists before Rukia grabbed his sleeve, drawing his attention away from Uryuu and to her.

"Then that must mean…" she said, her eyes widening in recognition as she stared up at Ichigo. "It _was_ Hisana, Ichigo."

Ichigo calmed, nodding his head. "Looks like it."

The others already knew about Rukia and Ichigo's experience with the appearance of an unknown spiritual pressure on Monday. Urahara flipped his fan open, covering his face as he contemplated. Orihime had slipped her hand on top of Uryuu's and sat quietly along with Chad and Yoruichi.

"We'll just have to keep a close eye on Hisana from now on," Urahara concluded.

"She's not some type of criminal," Ichigo argued. Rukia agreed.

"Maybe not," Yoruichi retorted, "But we should still watch out for her."

Everyone shook their heads in agreement.

"Okay!" Urahara exclaimed, bounding to his feet and waving his fan in a shooing motion. "Time to leave. You kids got school in the morning. Get some rest. Good night."

Ichigo grumbled a farewell, walking hand-in-hand with Rukia back to their house. Chad headed off on his own as Uryuu escorted Orihime home. Urahara stood in the open doorway, watching them go. Yoruichi moved to stand behind him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Any thoughts, Kisuke?" she asked.

Sighing, Urahara looked up at the clear, moonlit sky. "None whatsoever."

**A/N:** Soooo…..I failed at having the next two chapters done over break but here's this one. Now you know…where the bad guys are stationed...that Soul Society is now aware of strange occurrences…and…that Hisana has spiritual pressure. Does she have any powers? Is she like Ichigo? You'll know soon enough. XD! Feel free to review. Thanks, guys.


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. And I do not own any songs mentioned.**

Chapter Four

_"Are you happy, Hisana?"_

_Hisana looked up from her tea, puzzled at her lord's question, then smiled warmly as he sipped his tea calmly._

_"Of course, my lord," she replied._

_"Byakuya," he stated, wishing her to call him by his first name. She caught the implication._

_"Byakuya," she repeated, raising her cup to drink. He nodded. They remained quiet for several minutes. Byakuya liked these little moments he had with her. She never forced him to speak and was content to just be with him. But lately, she had been withdrawing from him, little by little. As much as he hated to acknowledge it, he feared she had second thoughts about their engagement. There were only two weeks before their wedding and Byakuya was still fighting with the council over accepting Hisana into the family._

_"I…," Hisana began, staring at her hands in her lap. Byakuya paused, watching conflicting emotions pass over her face._

_"Please continue," he implored, turning his full attention to his future wife._

_Taking a deep breath, Hisana steeled her nerves. "I don't feel worthy, Byakuya. Of becoming your wife…of your love. I've seen your struggles with your family and I wish not to cause you pain. You know about how I abandoned my baby sister. I'm insignificant."_

_Hisana stopped for a moment, unshed tears glistening in her eyes. "I'm not taking back my feelings for you, but I fear letting you in completely because I'll just disappoint you. You disagree, of course. But can't you see? I'm not right for you. You deserve better."_

_Hisana fell silent, keeping her gaze away from Byakuya's. Byakuya listened to her reasoning, thinking how foolish she was to question his choice. In a rare show of affection, he took one of her hands in his. She looked up at him, the tears falling. He kissed her knuckles, a small smile playing on his lips._

_"I deserve you," he stated, wiping away the tears. She smiled brilliantly, her eyes gleaming bright._

* * *

"Hisana, wake up," Ichigo said, gently patting the girl's shoulder.

"Five more minutes," Hisana mumbled, curling on her side. It was a good dream, she didn't want to leave.

Ichigo laughed. "I'm sorry, but lunch is about to end."

Groaning, Hisana opened her eyes and sat up. Stretching her arms over her head, she looked around. The others' lunches were abandoned on the ground surrounding her.

"Where are the others?" she asked, glancing up at Ichigo. She wavered when she saw the dark expression on his face. She retreated back a little, confused about his sudden change. "What's wrong?"

"Where did you get those bruises?" he asked, pointing to her right arm. The sleeve of her sweater had bunched up to her elbow, revealing the black and blue bruises branding her skin. It had been almost two weeks since she'd gotten them, but they refused to heal. Although the hand print was gone, the bruises had remained and, what's worse, had actually spread up her arm. They barely touched her elbow now. Pulling her sleeve back down, Hisana searched for an answer to give. She had been so careful to keep it hidden, wearing her school sweater despite the heat.

"Uh…um, I was knocked down during practice the other day," she fibbed, calmly meeting Ichigo's gaze, hoping he would believe her. "I ended up falling into the hurdles. I tried to break my fall with my arm and this is the result. I didn't want to worry anyone. I've seen the school nurse about it and have been taking care of it."

He didn't look convinced. He scowled, turning his back on her, then whirling back around. He seemed to struggle with himself before he relaxed. He gazed coolly at her.

"If you don't want to tell me, it's your choice," he pointed out, catching her lie. "But remember, you have friends…you don't have to go through this alone. We here if you need us." He smirked. "Especially Rukia."

Hisana hesitantly smiled back. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Just be careful."

She nodded, leaning back against the tree behind her. She had continued to have dreams every night, remembering tidbits here and there. She hadn't seen the man or the hallway since that last time. Most of her memories revolved around Byakuya, whom she could now see clearly. The unnamed man from her first memory hadn't made another appearance yet.

"So, where is everyone?" Hisana asked again.

Ichigo pointed over his shoulder. "Playing soccer. We had a long lunch today, thanks to Ms. Ochi."

Hisana gazed around him and, sure enough, there was the gang, competitively playing girls vs. boys. She chuckled lightly.

"Why aren't you playing?" she asked.

"I didn't feel like it," he replied, "Plus, it's now even."

Hisana frowned. "But it's four boys against three girls."

"Yep," he smiled, "Mizuiro and Keigo tend to count as one person. Chad's not fast, but good luck getting past his defenses. Uryuu's pretty good with speed. And then, Orihime is very protective and is as impenetrable as Chad. Tatsuki and Rukia are fast and very competitive. I pity anyone who gets in their way."

"Hmm, how long was I asleep?"

"Not long, about twenty minutes. Like I said, lunch's about to end."

"I think we should join them. Before class starts."

Ichigo watched Hisana as she stood up. "Sure. Why not?"

"Race ya!" she called, hurtling past him, laughing. He grinned before dashing after her.

"The score is one to one!" Tatsuki called, "The next point wins the game."

Rukia perked up when she sensed Ichigo approaching quickly. "Incoming!"

Tatsuki and Orihime nodded, preparing to take on five guys. Tatsuki passed the ball to Rukia, taking off down their makeshift field towards the goal. Rukia dribbled quite skillfully around Keigo and Mizuiro, fending off Uryuu's attempt to steal the ball. As she broke away, Ichigo materialized in front of her, a cocky grin plastered on his face. Rukia launched the ball towards Tatsuki between Ichigo's legs. His smirk fell as he scrambled to recover. Tatsuki positioned to shoot, kicking ball towards the goal. Chad blocked the ball easily, it bouncing off his chest and landing opposite to Tatsuki. Tatsuki cursed and began to retrieve the ball, but stopped when she saw Hisana.

Chad was caught off guard by Hisana's appearance as she swung her leg to kick the ball into the goal. He hustled to stop it, diving headfirst, but the ball went sailing past his outstretched fingertips. Cries of triumph sounded from the female players. Orihime jumped up and down, Tatsuki gave Hisana a high-five, gloating about their victory. Rukia smirked over Ichigo's fallen form, where she had 'accidentally' kneed his shin to keep him away from the soccer ball. Hisana helped Chad to his feet, smiling, and congratulated the boys on a good game.

"Such a good sport!" Keigo praised, flocking over to Hisana. He threw an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close to him. "It's a pity I can't come to the picnic tonight."

"That reminds me," Tatsuki said, picking up the soccer ball. "I can't come either. My karate teacher wants me to teach a couple of classes tonight."

"Aww!" Orihime cried, pouting.

Tatsuki smiled reassuringly. "It's alright, Orihime."

"First, Mizuiro and Keigo," Rukia stated, "Now, Tatsuki. What was the point if everyone's going to bail?"

"Hey, we're not bailing," Keigo denied, oblivious to Hisana struggling against his hold. "My parents are coming home. I haven't seen them in months. Mizuiro, however, is skipping to do what exactly?"

"One of my girlfriends invited me to go with her and some friends to the beach for the weekend," Mizuiro explained, "For one last outing before it gets cold."

Keigo sputtered at Mizuiro's plan, protesting how unfair the world is. Ichigo rolled his eyes and started heading back to the school when the bell rang. Rukia caught up with him, walking alongside. The others trailed after them.

* * *

**Baby, you're a firework**

**Come on, let your colors burst**

**Make 'em go, oh…oh…oh**

**You're gonna leave 'em falling dow…ow…own.**

(Firework by Katy Perry)

Hisana sang along, dancing as she got ready for the picnic with her friends. She had removed her school uniform, replacing it with a white tank top and skinny jeans. She pulled a black button-up shirt on, the sleeves reaching her elbows with pockets on the arms. To hide her bruises, she had bandaged it, hoping to get away with the same lie she had used on Ichigo. _Maybe he wouldn't worry if I saw his dad,_ she thought. Gathering a few lap blankets, Hisana packed them in her huge beach bag.

She twirled into the living room, dropping the bag by the door and continuing into the kitchen. She grabbed the small cooler sitting on the counter, filled with water bottles and other drinks. The cooler joined her bag as she headed back into her bedroom to put on her dark brown, knee-high boots. A knock sounded from the door, barely audible over her music.

"Come in!" she hollered, pulling her hair up into a high ponytail. A light-green, decorative scarf caught her eye from inside her closet. She had bought it at the mall with the girls. It had reminded her of the scarf Byakuya wore. Smiling to herself, she took the scarf down and wrapped it around her neck.

"Hisana, are you ready?" Rukia called. She and Ichigo stood in the open doorway, gazing at Hisana's modern apartment. Hisana walked out of her bedroom, pressing stop on her stereo.

"Yep, I've got blankets and drinks," she replied, grinning.

"What happened to your arm?" Rukia asked, gazing at the gauze covering Hisana's right arm.

Hisana looked briefly at Ichigo. He avoided her gaze, picking up the cooler. "I hurt it during practice the other day. Don't worry; it's getting better."

"Alright, let's get going," Ichigo commanded, stepping back outside. He wore dark blue jeans and a graphic t-shirt with a jacket. It was comfortable outside, the wind blowing warmly as the trio left the apartment and headed towards the park.

Rukia walked in between Hisana and Ichigo, her hands in her pockets. For once, Rukia wasn't wearing a skirt or dress and instead wore knee-length, faded jean shorts. She had on a yellow, fitted t-shirt with a white sleeveless cardigan. Her white tennis shoes padded softly on the concrete.

"I'm glad we're doing this," Hisana said, strolling along. "I didn't have many outings with friends at my old home." She paused, frowning slightly. "Well, none actually."

"Well, we're going to make up for lost time," Rukia stated, wrapping her arm around Hisana's waist. Hisana perked up, placing her arm around Rukia's waist as well. Hisana was particularly happy with the fact that Rukia and she were about the same height, Hisana slightly taller. She had been picked on by bullies about her size at the boarding school.

Ichigo remained silent, a fake scowl on his face. The two girls had been becoming inseparable over the past week. Hisana spent more and more time at his house, it seemed like she lived there. But he couldn't deny how much happier Rukia was. His family had welcomed Hisana without fault, Isshin gushing over his second 'adoptive daughter.' Ichigo shook his head at the thought.

Before long, the three had made their way to the park. As they neared the meeting point, they saw Orihime waving at them, Uryuu and Chad standing beside her.

"Hey, guys!" Orihime called, hoisting a huge picnic basket into the air. "We've got a lot of food."

Hisana blanched, thinking of the sandwich Orihime had given her. "Did you make it?"

"No," Orihime laughed, "Uryuu and I actually just ordered it from an opening restaurant."

"It gave them some good business," Uryuu explained. Four sighs of relief rang in the air.

"Alright," Hisana said, setting her bag down and pulling out blankets. "Let's set up so we can eat."

Orihime and Rukia helped Hisana spread the blankets out on the ground. Ichigo placed the cooler beside the picnic basket and sat down. Rukia sat beside him, Hisana on her right. Chad took a seat between Ichigo and the cooler. Uryuu and Orihime sat next to each other in between Hisana and the picnic basket. Uryuu unloaded packed lunchboxes and Orihime passed them around.

"Instead of the food being in separate containers and we make our own plates, we decided to just fix a lunch for everybody," Orihime declared. Chad opened the cooler and began delegating drinks to everyone.

"Hisana, what happened?" Orihime asked, pointing to the bandages. Before Hisana could respond, Ichigo interrupted.

"She hurt it in practice," he said, unwrapping the packaging around his dinner. "She's coming over to have Dad look at it tonight, right, Hisana?"

Meeting his demanding gaze, Hisana nodded. Rukia looked quizzically at Ichigo, wondering why he soured at every mention of Hisana's arm. Ichigo ate in silence, ignoring Rukia's questioning gaze and staring pointedly at his food.

"I brought a Frisbee to play after dinner," Chad stated.

"Yay!" Orihime exclaimed.

"Good thinking," Uryuu complimented, shooing a fly away from his food. A light conversation went on, following topics about school and outside activities. About an hour later, everyone was finished with their meal and the boys were throwing the Frisbee as the girls lounged on the blankets.

"The sun feels good," Rukia stated, stretching arms over her head.

"Yeah," Orihime agreed, dreamily.

Hisana nodded, closing her eyes. She patted her full belly. "That was a good meal."

A beeping noise came from Rukia's pocket. She groaned audibly, sitting up and pulling a cell phone out of her pocket. Her eyes widened at the number of hollows appearing nearby.

"I'm going to take a nap," she declared, subtly popping in a soul candy. Her spirit form released, Rukia instructed Chappy to pretend to go to sleep and watch Hisana. Ichigo saw Rukia in her soul reaper get-up and moved to follow her example.

"I'm beat," he stated, "A nap sounds good."

He pressed his substitute soul reaper badge against his chest, away from Hisana's view and carefully lowered his body to the ground as he slipped out of it. Chad, Uryuu, and Orihime glanced at the two before deciding on what to do.

"Uryuu, I want some ice cream," Orihime said, standing up. "Chad can come with us. We can bring some back for you, Hisana."

"No, thanks," Hisana replied, "I'm going to follow Ichigo and Rukia into dreamland."

Hisana curled on her side, waiting patiently for everyone to leave. She processed what she had seen: Ichigo and Rukia leaving their bodies. She finally remembered where she had seen them before. They were the ones she had seen racing by her after she had met Orihime and Chad. She could feel several of the monsters appearing and wondered if she could handle that many. But then again, maybe that's what the others were rushing off to do. To kill the monsters.

The air filled with the screams of hollows as the gang hustled away. Rukia looked at the monitor on her phone, gauging how many hollows there were.

"There's a lot," she decided, "Too many to count."

"Great," Ichigo said.

"Do you think it was wise leaving Hisana alone?" Uryuu questioned.

"Chappy will look after her," Rukia reassured, confidently. Inside, she felt panicked. Something didn't feel right. What if something happens to Hisana?

"She'll be fine," Ichigo promised, pinpointing Rukia's thoughts. "I'll make sure of it."

The group reached a clearing, devoid of people and playground equipment, increasingly filling with hollows. The hollows ranged in a variety of sizes, none bigger than the size of a house. Uryuu automatically started taking out the flying ones as the others took on what remained. Orihime stayed behind Uryuu, using her power to block any attacks made against her friends. With their combined efforts, it didn't take long before all the hollows were destroyed.

Swinging his blade through the last hollow, Ichigo landed beside Rukia.

"Anymore coming?" he asked.

Rukia opened her phone. "No."

Ichigo scowled. He didn't know what was going on. Why had all of these hollows appeared? Sighing, he sheathed Zangetsu on his back. The apparition of two strong spiritual pressures caught his attention, stopping his actions.

"Do you feel that?" Uryuu asked.

Ichigo nodded, glancing over to Rukia. She wore a horrified expression before she vanished. Swearing, Ichigo followed. _Crazy midget,_ he thought. When he heard a scream, he remembered Hisana. _Dammit!_

He stopped at the picnic site, Rukia no where to be seen and neither was Hisana. Chappy was unconscious, lying beside his body. He sensed the others coming up behind him.

"What happened?" Orihime cried, staring at the mess. Their trash was strewn about, the cooler lying open on its side, and the picnic basket had a hole in it. The blankets were in disarray.

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo jumped at the desperation and pain in Rukia's voice as she called his name. He instantly flashed to her side. They were in the small forest kept in the middle of the park. Rukia was on the ground, hugging Hisana to her. She was crying, rocking back and forth.

"Hisana, come back," she whispered.

Ichigo stared in shock, guilt washing over him. He didn't keep his promise and now Rukia was suffering. He looked around, trying to sense Hisana's spirit, but he couldn't find it. He crouched next to Rukia, pulling her away and laying Hisana's lifeless body on the ground. He drew Rukia into his embrace. Rukia didn't resist his actions and clung to him as she cried. Her sister was dead again. She hadn't protected her; she had failed her.

Ichigo let Rukia cry, watching as Chad broke through the growth. He stopped abruptly as he saw Hisana lying on the ground and Ichigo holding a weeping Rukia. Orihime crashed into Chad's back, falling back. Uryuu caught her before she hit the ground and pulled her back to her feet. Orihime thanked him and glanced around Chad to see what was happening. She gasped, turning to bury her face in Uryuu's shoulder. Uryuu held her as he stared at Hisana.

"Where's her spirit?" Uryuu asked.

Ichigo looked up, pain and sorrow in his eyes. "I don't know. I can't sense her."

Rukia pulled away from Ichigo, wiping her eyes. "She's in Soul Society."

"How do you know?" Chad asked.

"Because I saw her," Rukia replied, "These two men had knocked her soul out of her body and broken her chain. They dragged her through a senkaimon before I could stop them."

"This explains the hollows," Ichigo realized, "They were just a distraction. To draw us away and leave Hisana alone."

"And it worked," Rukia declared, angrily.

"Then we have no choice," Ichigo decided, glancing around at his friends. They each returned an understanding gaze to him. His face set in determination, Ichigo stood up, pulling Rukia with him. He lifted Hisana off the ground, cradling her in his arms.

"We're going to the Soul Society."

* * *

_Hisana awoke in a room of white. She sat up, looking around. Byakuya stood across from her, his eyes closed, a stoic expression on his face. Opening his eyes, he glided towards her and knelt next to her._

_"Byakuya," Hisana acknowledged, "What's going on? Where am I?"_

_He shook his head. "There's no time. It's become too dangerous for me to visit you."_

_"But,…"_

_He silenced her, pressing a finger to his lips. "Listen to me, Hisana. You must be careful. I can no longer come to you while you dream, but know that I am always with you. These people mean you harm. You must discern the truth from the lies they will tell you. Believe in yourself."_

_His voice began to fade; his being disappearing before her eyes. She reached out to grasp his hand, her hand passing through his as he vanished._

_"Byakuya!"_

* * *

"She's awake, my lord," Emi declared, standing beside her sister in the corner of the room. Raiden looked up, a smile forming.

"Good," he replied, heading towards the door. "Time to welcome her home."

The house they were staying in had one floor, but it was still quite big. There were three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and dining room combo, and his office, of course. The men shared one bedroom, the girls another. Raiden had left the third one empty and prepared for Hisana's arrival. Releasing so many hollows in the living world had drawn the substitute soul reaper and his friends away, allowing Kenta and Masumi to capture Hisana.

He walked down the long hallway to Hisana's room. Masumi stood outside the door, standing guard. Raiden nodded at Masumi as he approached. Masumi unlocked the door and opened it, letting Raiden enter. Raiden gazed at Hisana, the familiar tugging on his heart catching his breath. He pushed away the unwanted feeling, remembering what she had done to him. Hisana glanced up from where she sat on her makeshift bed.

Hisana's eyes widened in recognition. The man before her was a slightly older version of the young man she had seen in her dream. The one who had tried to tell her his name. A knowing smile brightened his features, yet not quite reaching his eyes. His hair was longer and he no longer wore rags. His eyes were black, no longer a dark brown, blending the irises with his pupils. The scar remained exactly as she remembered, but he acquired another on the other side of his face. It started in the center of his cheek and fell down vertically, ending a little past his chin.

"Hello, Hisana," he said, his voice deep.

"Who are you?" she asked, a feeling of terror washing over her.

"My name is…Raiden."

**A/N:** I have good news and bad news. Good news: Christmas break. Bad news: Christmas break. No more classes and I get to go home, but I don't have Internet at home. But I promise to figure out a way to update while I'm away. Here's this chapter, my inciting incident. Things are going to get even more interesting from here on. I plan on prolonging Hisana and Byakuya's meeting for at least another chapter. Next chapter, the gang's back in Soul Society and recruiting help and Raiden reveals his plan to Hisana. Thanks so much for all the reviews. Until next time…:)


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

Chapter Five

Jyuushiro sighed heavily, his two third seats bustling about with extra paperwork. Their constant fighting was wearing down Jyuushiro's patience for the first time. It had been two days since the intruder and the Seireitei was on high alert. Disappearances in the Rukon district and some lower soul reapers in Squads Six, Nine, and his own had lead to daily and nightly patrols. He rubbed his temples, ignoring the mass of paper on his desk and his third seats' wild antics. He had lost two promising soul reapers, fresh from the Academy, and he didn't know what had happened to them. Their spiritual pressures had just vanished one day simultaneous, as if they no longer existed. He hadn't realized until a few friends of theirs had informed him of their absence.

"Captain," Kiyone called, rushing towards Jyuushiro and kneeling next to him. "Are you okay? You look pale."

"He's always pale," Sentaro retorted, pouncing forward to imitate his co-seat.

"I know that," Kiyone protested, "He's paler than usual."

Sentaro leant close to Jyuushiro, his face mere inches from his captain's face. Jyuushiro blanched, staring back at Sentaro's searching expression.

"You're right," Sentaro concluded. Kiyone huffed a barely audible 'told you so.' Sentaro brushed off her comment. "Can I get you anything, sir?"

"You!" Kiyone cried, "If anyone is going to help the captain, it'll be me."

Jyuushiro held up his hands and tried to staunch the indefinite arguement. "I'm fine, really."

The two went at it anyways for the twentieth time that day and it was not yet noon. Jyuushiro rolled his eyes and decided to leave instead of taking out his frustrations on his subordinates. He flashed out of his office, causing Kiyone and Sentaro to halt for a millisecond before relaunching, their new topic on their captain's sudden exit.

Jyuushiro landed next to the sakura tree outside Squad Eight's offices. He sat under the barren branches and let the crisp air calm him. Despite the crazy morning, it was a good day. He didn't feel the least bit ill and could actually breathe. He was having more good days than bad and it gave him some measure of happiness, not being confined to his bed with the body-racking coughs. Shunsui was bound to appear at any moment as Jyuushiro expected. Jyuushiro closed his eyes, waiting. It wasn't long before he sensed his friend's spiritual pressure.

Shunsui quietly sat across from Jyuushiro, somber and serious. He knew how his friend felt about the disappearances, especially since a couple were his own. He was on edge as well, considering how overly cautious the Captain Commander was behaving. It was like Ichigo Kurosaki was storming the Seireitei once again. He shook his head at the thought. Jyuushiro remained still and a comfortable silence settled over the two.

Shunsui cleared his throat. "Nice day, eh, Jyuu?"

Jyuushiro nodded, opening his eyes. He met Shunsui's warm gaze, conveying his emotions without speaking.

"You can't blame yourself, Jyuu. Guilt isn't a good look for you anyways. We can only hope to prevent this from happening again. We'll figure out who, or what, is behind this new and original, dastardly plot to destroy the Seireitei."

"Is that sarcasm?" Jyuushiro inquired, amused.

"Yeah," Shunsui replied, "Tried using it on Yama-jii, but it didn't work out as well as I hoped. He thought I was serious about completing the extra paperwork and now Nanao is even more persistent to get me to do my work." He pouted, leaning forward and propping his left elbow on his knee, resting his head on his hand. "Normally, I would avoid the office and hide from her, but she's been so stressed about the disappearances. One of the missing soul reapers had been a friend, and a student, of hers."

Shunsui's grey eyes were cast in shadows, worry and sadness etched on his features.

"I have this foreboding feeling that something is going to happen today," Jyuushiro admitted, "Something important."

Shunsui agreed, sitting up straight at the sound of his liuetenant's voice. "Captain Kyoraku!"

Resuming his playful, careless facade, Shunsui turned towards the open office door and gazed adoringly at the petite, dark-haired soul reaper. "Na~na~o!"

She visibly cringed at his actions, readjusting her glasses, and continued, "Urgent news from Squad 12: Rukia Kuchiki has returned to Soul Society. Along with the substitute soul reaper and his friends."

No sooner had Nanao finished her sentence and the captains felt the familiar spiritual pressure of Ichigo Kurosaki appear. Rukia and the others were there as well.

"Hmm, Yoruichi is with them," Shunsui stated, scratching his stubbled chin. "Looks like your feeling was correct. Something's bound to happen with Ichigo here."

Jyuushiro stood up. "Let's go and greet them. Maybe they have some information."

* * *

Rukia stepped through the opening, emerging into the bright sunlight. She looked around the bare courtyard, wondering where the guards were. Ichigo exited the senkaimon, followed by Yoruichi in human form, Chad, Uryuu, and Orihime. Ichigo scowled, disturbed by the lack of soul reapers patroling the gateway.

"Where is everyone?" Orihime asked, worried. Each time they had entered the Soul Society, there was always someone to greet them or at least guards. Something must have happened.

"I don't know," Rukia admitted, "Orders normally mandate two soul reapers to watch the senkaimon at all times."

"Which leads to wonder why there aren't any here," Uryuu said. Chad mumbled an agreement.

Yoruichi strode forward. "Something's definitely off, but we can't waste time. Hisana may be in trouble."

Everyone nodded in accordance. Uryuu perked at the approaching spiritual pressures. "Incoming."

Jyuushiro and Shunsui flashed into the courtyard, Nanao on their heels. Rukia felt relieved seeing her captain. The absence of the usual liveliness was unsettling. Jyuushiro smiled friendly, a hint of sadness in his eyes. Shunsui reflected his normal, carefree self, with Nanao, stern and calculating, standing a step behind him, off his right shoulder.

"Captain," Rukia acknowledged, stepping forward and bowing.

"Rukia," Jyuushiro said, tilting his head in her direction. He moved closer to the group. "How glad I am to see you, all of you, and yet I fear this is not a friendly visit."

"No, it is not," Rukia replied. She relayed the past weeks with Hisana and what had happened the other day. Jyuushiro and Shunsui remained silent, listening to Rukia. Nanao paid attention as well, assessing whether the events happening in the transient world were related to those in Soul Society. Shunsui glanced over at Jyuushiro and exchanged similar thoughts.

Ichigo noticed the captains' behaviors. "What's going on?"

"A couple of nights ago, we had an intruder in the Seireitei," Shunsui stated.

"And ever since then, there have been disappearances, from the Rukon district and some soul reapers as well," Jyuushiro finished. Rukia's brows furrowed in confusion, her thoughts reflecting Nanao's.

"It's possible that these events coincide," Yoruichi declared, "But we should find Hisana first. She may be the key."

"Alright then," Ichigo said, flashing off.

"Ichigo!" Rukia called.

Uryuu shoke his head. "There's no end to his rashness. You better follow him, Rukia."

Rukia nodded and disappeared.

"I'm assuming Ichigo's heading for the Rukon district," Uryuu decided, "Yoruichi and Orihime can seek out information in the Seireitei while Chad and I head to the Rukon district also. We can meet up later."

"Right," Orihime replied. Yoruichi agreed and headed off with Orihime.

"We'll keep an eye out, too," Shunsui said.

Chad tilted his head to the captain. "Thanks."

The captains returned to their headquarters, determined to help find this Hisana. Chad and Uryuu hurried off to the gateway between the Seireitei and Rukon district.

* * *

The room was small and bare. The only window was boarded up, allowing little natural light to enter. Two lanterns hung from pegs on either side of the door. Hisana huddled in the corner on the bed, a collection of two blankets and a straw mattress. It was warm and Hisana could hear noises and voices outside. She debated trying to get help, but with Masumi guarding her room, she didn't want to draw his attention. After meeting Raiden the other night, he proceeded to tell her each one of her wardens' name. Masumi was the one that haunted her dreams and kidnapped her in the park, Kenta was the other kidnapper who personally creeped her out, the twins, Emi and Kyoko, and Toru she had yet to meet.

Raiden had spent the evening with her, explaining in detail everything Hisana had gone through: the dreams, the bruises on her arm, even how she met her friends. When he addressed her past lives, she really began to freak out. His words kept replaying in her mind.

*_Flashback*_

_"Raiden." Hisana repeated his name, bewildered to see him in real life._

_He smiled at her. "It's been a long time...fifty years to be exact. Well, I've seen you, of course, but we haven't actually been together since when we first met."_

_"I don't understand," Hisana said, rubbing at her bandaged arm. It had begun to ache uncomfortably moments earlier as she had awoken. Raiden watched this with amusement. Crossing the room, he crouched before Hisana and took her arm. Hisana resisted, trying to pull her arm away. He held on and began to unwrap the bandages, eyeing the dark marks._

_"Masumi did well," he stated, revolving her arm to see his handiwork. "The poison is coming along perfectly."_

_He smirked at Hisana's blank expression. "Didn't you ever wonder why the bruises hadn't healed? The poison is botulinum, but the marks are from my spells to allow it to spread slowly and prevent any healing, by kido or medicine in the living world. Your nervous system will eventually shut down and you will die an excruciating death."_

_Hisana inhaled sharply._

_"You've actually experienced this type of death two times during the past fifty years."_

_"Why?" Hisana breathed._

_"Revenge." Raiden's features darkened. "You'll remember soon enough. After we met, we got really close. You and your sister moved in with me and the gang and became a part of our family. But everything changed when I decided to include you in our plan to take over the Seireitei. You ran away, abandoning your sister in the streets when she was just a babe, and vanished completely. When I finally found you, pitiful, lovesick puppy that I was, you were engaged to that so-called noble Byakuya Kuchiki. Heartbroken, I convinced you to meet me one last time. A hollow appeared and attacked us. There were no soul reapers to help us and I pointed out again the failings of the Seireitei. You ignored me and ran back to him. As we readied to take over, several soul reapers crashed into our home and disrupted our work. The unfinished spells opened a vortex into Hueco Mundo and drew my comrades and I into it."_

_Hisana sat still and quiet, processing what Raiden had just told her._

_"Who else knew what we were planning? You, my dear, gave us away. Without a doubt, you told your _husband_ about us. But as you can see, we didn't die. And I cursed you so that you would die and never return to the Soul Society. This is your third reincarnation. Each time you'd start to remember your past life, the poison would set in. By the time you turned seventeen, you were gone. Instead of going to the Soul Society, you were automatically reincarnated. I continued this process until I was strong enough to take my revenge and destroy the Seireitei completely._

_"I arranged for you to move to Karakura to get the attention of the substitute soul reaper. His power will be a great asset to our cause and it will draw away unwanted attention to our true purpose."_

_Raiden released Hisana's arm, standing up. He stared down at her. "I don't blame you. But you were the key to hurting Kuchiki. I knew if I could have just explained to you, you would have understood and come back to me. It was Kuchiki that turned you against me and lead to your betrayal. First, I will torture him with the truth about you, then kill him. My abilities have grown, and thanks to a certain being I met in Hueco Mundo, I can increase my powers by absorbing others'. It won't be long before the Seireitei falls."_

_Raiden backed away, his gaze fixed on Hisana. "I'll let Kuchiki see you one last time before I end it. He won't be able to hide behind his title and responsibilities from the pain I'm going to cause him."_

_Raiden knocked on the door. The handle rattled shortly, then turned. The door swung open and the huge man appeared._

_"By the way," Raiden began, "This is Masumi. The other man who brought you here is Kenta. Then there's Toru and Emi and Kyoko. So don't even think of trying to escape."_

_He exited the room, locking the door behind him. Hisana remained unmoving as unexpected tears fell from her eyes. Somewhere deep within her, she believed his words, but Byakuya's warning rang clearly through her mind._

_*End Flashback*_

Since Raiden left, the ache in her arm had flared into a pulsating pain. The marks had creeped steadily up and down her arm, stretching over her knuckles and bicep. She was frightened. Her sleep had been a scattering of images rather than an actual memory, ranging she guessed from when she met Raiden to when she ran away. There were several images revolving around the sister she had abandoned. She didn't get to ask what was her sister's name, but she had a feeling. The first conversation she had had with Rukia plagued her thoughts. Rukia had lost her older sister and Hisana resembled her. From what Hisana could discern, Rukia was a part of this world and most likely the sister Hisana had abandoned. Those feelings of guilt and sadness she had felt when she first saw Rukia now made sense. She was a horrible person. What possible reason would she have to leave a baby, alone and unprotected, in the streets?

She stood up and went to the window. She peeked through an opening, catching sight of a bustling, dusty street. She contemplated a means of escape, wondering if she could. _If Raiden knows everything,_ she thought, _Then he must know about my abilities._ He hadn't mentioned anything about Hisana's power and it led her to hope that there was a possibility that she could get away. No doubt, Masumi was listening intently for any loud disturbances, but if she was quick, she could break out and find help. She wasn't defenseless and could take care of herself, but she worried about the poison within her. Would using her power cause it to spread faster?

Breathing deeply, she searched for the normal pressure in the pit of her stomach. She began to panic when she couldn't find it. She had felt it just moments ago when she was sitting in the corner. A lightbulb blinked on as a idea dawned on her. Returning to the corner, the pressure appeared. When she stepped closer to the door, it disappeared. Something was disrupting her power, neutralizing or suppressing it. _It must be Masumi,_ she decided.

She stepped back into the corner. She drew the warm, humming flow of energy from its resting place to her left hand. A red, flamelike essence formed around her hand, a white ball of raw power blazing in the center of her palm. Holding her breath, she launched the ball at the wall. Wood splintered and dust went flying revealing a large hole. Hisana didn't hesitate and leapt out the hole and into the afternoon sunshine.

She dashed away from the building, ignoring the cries of people on the streets. She didn't bother to look behind her and focused on getting away as far as possible before they found her. It didn't surprise her when she heard thundering steps behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Masumi barreling towards her. She ducked into a tight alleyway and edged to the other side, hoping to get some distance between them. She heard loud crashes as she continued.

She weaved in and out of buildings, through busy streets, and under bridges, pausing outside a bar. She leaned against the wall, catching her breath. All was silent save the noises coming from the bar. She glanced around, listening intently for Masumi. Sighing in relief, she slouched even further against the wall. A disturbance from within the bar drew her attention. A crash sounded next to her, a massive hand emerging from a hole in the wall. She screamed, scrambling away. She hurried into a building across the street as Masumi hurtled out of the bar. She ran through door after door, knocking things in the path behind her to stall her pursuer. He wasn't deterred. As she reached the last room, he grabbed hold of her hair. She cried out, lashing out with a kick, centering her power into her leg. He let go of her hair and went careening back. Without delay, she blasted the door off its hinges and raced out. Rounding a corner, she collided with something hard. She went sprawling backwards in the dirt. Looking up, she saw two extremely tall and muscular men in those same black uniforms she had seen Ichigo and Rukia in.

The taller one had bright red hair tied into a ponytail that resembled a pineapple and these strange tattoos/eyebrows. The other had short black hair, scars running vertically over his right eye, and a tattooed 64 on his left cheek. Both had white bands on their left biceps and swords at their waists. They looked down at her speculatively. The red head seemed to recognize her, but she didn't have a chance to wonder why.

Masumi came pounding around the bend. Hisana hastened to her feet, now oblivious to the two before her. She whirled around and sent a large wave of energy hitting Masumi squarely in the chest. The wave knocked him back several feet. Hisana sagged with heaviness, her previous exertion taking its toll. Her legs and lungs burned and the pain in her arm had increased drastically.

Masumi lumbered to his feet and started towards her. Hisana wanted to cry, craddling her arm to her chest. Just as he was within reach, the two men stepped in front of her. The red head had his sword drawn.

"I'll take her to Squad 4," the dark-haired one said, "Can you handle this one?"

The red head's transformed into a thick blade with comb-like processes divided into sections. "Yeah, no problem. Get Rukia out of here, Hisagi."

Hisana's brows furrowed. Hisagi lifted her into his arms and whirled away. His movements sent them hurtling past blurred scenery and caused Hisana's stomach to flip uncomfortably. She squeezed her eyes shut. Before she knew it, they had stopped. She opened her eyes to find a pair of blue orbs gazing down at her. Hisagi laid her on a white bed.

The blue eyes belonged to a beautiful woman with black hair, braided down her front. A young man, she would assume about her age, stood next to the woman, a friendly and cheerful smile on his face.

"Renji and I had found her in the Rukon district," Hisagi explained, "A large man was chasing her. Please take care of Rukia."

"I would if this was Rukia," the woman stated. Hisagi whirled back to face Hisana, clearly shocked.

The woman smiled at Hisana. "My name is Retsu Unohana. I'm captain of Squad 4."

"Hisana Kobayoshi," Hisana replied, "Pleased to meet you."

"Hisagi, please continue with your work. I'll take care of Hisana," Retsu ordered. Hisagi bowed and vanished. "Hanatoro, please inform Jyuushiro and Shunsui that I believe I have found who they are looking for."

Hanatoro nodded enthusiastically and hurried down the hall. Hisana watched him leave before turning back to Retsu. "Someone's looking for me."

"Yes," Retsu replied, examining Hisana. She paused at Hisana's bruised arm, her docile face scrunching in worry. "What has happened to you?"

"It's botulinum. The markings, I was told, are some type of spell to prevent any type of healing."

"Hmm. I can try if you like. I can't guarantee it will work. I've never seen such markings."

Hisana gave her consent. A warm, blueish glow encircled Retsu's hands. She pressed the light delicately on Hisana's arm. Hisana hissed at the searing pain, the black marks elongating. Her back arched as she cried out. Retsu immediately released her hold. A light layer of sweat coated Hisana's skin. The bruises had grown, reaching from her fingertips to her shoulder.

"Best you get some rest for now. I'll see what I can do."

Hisana thanked her and settled back against the pillows. Retsu left the room as Hisana fell asleep.

* * *

"We haven't found anything," Rukia huffed in frustration.

"We'll find her, Rukia," Ichigo reassured, "It's only a matter of time."

"There is no time. What if she's hurt? She could be in a lot of pain and all by herself."

Ichigo stopped Rukia's rant, pulling her into his arms. "I made a promise. She'll be fine."

Rukia hated when she lost control and Ichigo had to calm her. It went against her nature to be wrong and Ichigo right. The world would fall to chaos. But she liked how safe she felt in his embrace. Wanting to remain as they were, Rukia pulled away.

"We should meet up with the others. Maybe they found something," Rukia stated.

Ichigo agreed and decided to head to Jyuushiro's office. They reached Squad 13's quarters just as Uryuu and Chad arrived.

"It looks like we weren't the only ones unsuccessful," Uryuu declared.

"What makes you think we weren't successful?" Ichigo asked, his brow creasing.

"Based on Rukia's expression since I can't go off of yours because you always look like that," Uryuu replied.

Ichigo's teeth clenched, his raw nerves shot. Rukia grabbed his arm to keep him from reaching for Zangetsu. Uryuu shook his head, adjusting his glasses and smirking at his friend's obvious reaction. Chad tapped Uryuu's shoulder and pointed behind Ichigo. Uryuu glanced over Ichigo's glowering form and saw Orihime running towards them.

"Uryuu! Ichigo! Guys!" Orihime cried, waving. She halted beside Rukia and leant over to catch her breath. "They found her! Hisana's in Squad 4 right now. Jyuushiro had me and some others come find you."

Rukia brightened at the news. She hugged Orihime before dashing off to Squad 4 barracks. Ichigo hustled after her, Chad by his side with Uryuu and Orihime behind them.

* * *

Renji eyed the man before him, Zabimaru released in his shikai form. Hisagi had just disappeared with Rukia in his arms. Renji hadn't recognized his childhood friend at first, her long hair throwing him off. She didn't seem injured, other than bruises on her right arm, just tired. The man chasing her was huge, taller than Captain Zaraki but smaller than Judambo. He was bald, had green, marble-like eyes, and wore black pants, a black tanktop with a silver 'x' on the front, and black, combat boots.

The man moved towards Renji. "Tell me where the girl has gone."

"I don't think so, Baldy," Renji replied.

"Then die."

A hammer appeared in Baldy's hand as he lifted his arm. He swung his weapon down, aiming for Renji's head. Renji pulled Zabimaru up to block, but was rattled when he found his hands empty. Mere seconds before the hammer connected, Renji rolled to the left. He leapt to his feet, putting distance between him and his enemy. He puzzled over Zabimaru's disappearance. He couldn't feel any of his power. _Zabimaru?_ he thought, _Are you there?_

Renji circled around, refusing to run away yet unable to attack. Baldy charged at him with amazing speed, his hammer catching Renji in his shoulder and sending him flying into someone's home. Screams rang from the family who lived there as Renji hauled himself out of the debris. He apologized and rushed outside. He dodged another swing. Falling on his fighting skills, he kneed Baldy's gut then joined his hands and shot out at his head. Baldy stumbled back, breathing hard, a hand holding a bruised cheek. Renji didn't allow him time to recover, slamming his fist into his jaw. Baldy flew backwards, knocking down a stack of wooden crates.

Renji wiped the blood pouring from a cut above his right eye. His shoulder ached where he had been hit and he suspected a couple broken ribs. He hoped Baldy faired worse than himself.

_Renji._

"Zabimaru!" Renji exclaimed.

_Why do you fight alone?_

"I cannot feel you or any of my spiritual pressure," Renji explained. Baldy was slowly picking himself up.

_I am here. Fight with me._

Renji searched within himself, trying to find Zabimaru. He was distracted as Baldy began his assault once more. Renji avoided his attacks, keeping his distance as he continued looking. Baldy sent out an energy ball similar to kido, giving Renji a crazy idea. If Zabimaru never left, then it was possible that he could still perform a kido spell.

"Hado Number 31: Shakkaho!" Renji cried, aiming towards his enemy. A red energy ball blasted from his hands, conferming his theory.

It hit Baldy in the side and sent him reeling. Renji was thankful it didn't explode in his face. Imagining his sword in his hand, Renji felt a familiar weight in his right hand. Zabimaru, in shikai form, had reappeared. As Baldy stood up, his side was bleeding and his face was bruised and bloody as well. He threw his hammer, shrouded in red spiritual pressure, at Renji. Renji deflected with Zabimaru.

"Howl, Zabimaru!" His blade extended, slashing down at his opponent. It sliced Baldy across his chest deeply. He fell to his knees, a trickle of blood running down his chin from his mouth. His hammer returned to him, but Renji knocked it from his hand. He launched Zabimaru once again, creating another matching cut perpendicular to the first.

"You cannot defeat us," Baldy proclaimed.

"One down by my count," Renji pointed out.

"This isn't over...it's just beginning. The Seireitei will fall."

Baldy began coughing up blood, his body spasming. Renji watched with a cold, hard stare, Zabimaru resting on his shoulder.

"You underestimate us Soul Reapers," Renji told him. Baldy looked up, his gaze angry and defiant. "You'll soon regret that."

With a final breath, Baldy dissolved into light-blue particles and floated away with the wind. Renji sheathed Zabimaru. He turned when he felt Kira and Hinamori's spiritual pressures. The two stood next to each other on the roof of a house adjacent to Renji. Kira's expression was serious as well as Hinamori.

"We've come to take over the patrol," Hinamori explained. She flash-stepped off the roof and next to Renji. Kira followed suit.

"Rukia ran into trouble," Renji stated, "He's not the intruder from a couple nights ago, but I believe he's in league with the same one."

"Did you learn anything?" Kira asked.

"Not really. The guy had a strange ability, though. He was able to make me think that I was powerless. Zabimaru had vanished from my hand and I had to rely on combat skills I had picked up living in the Rukon district."

"Oh, really?" Hinamori asked, smiling lightly. "But at least you defeated him."

Renji scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Yeah."

"Go ahead to Squad 4 and get bandaged up. We've got this covered."

Hinamori pushed Renji softly in the appropriate direction. Kira gave him a curt nod. Renji smirked and obeyed Hinamori, flash-stepping to the medical barracks. He was relieved to feel Zabimaru's presence once more. He decided to visit Rukia and make sure she was alright before he got fixed up.

It was a slow day at Squad 4 by Renji's assumption. He walked down a hall, searching for Rukia's spiritual pressure. He could sense his captain's and thought that perhaps he was visiting Rukia, but he couldn't find Rukia's. Confused, he turned right, heading down another hall, when he caught sight of Hanatoro exiting a room.

"Hanatoro!" Renji called, moving quickly to meet the nervous-looking boy. "Have you seen Rukia?"

"Not today, Renji," Hanatoro replied, smiling meekly.

"Hisagi brought her in earlier, but I guess she must have gone home. It doesn't explain Captain Kuchiki's presence here, though."

Renji paused, sensing Rukia. He also felt Ichigo, Chad, Uryuu, Orihime, and Yoruichi.

"Renji!"

He swung around to see Rukia, with her normal hairstyle, racing towards him. Ichigo was beside her with the others following.

"Oh, there she is, Renji," Hanatoro declared, "Besides, Hisagi didn't bring in Rukia. He brought in Hisana Kobayashi."

Renji blinked, dumbfounded. He could have sworn the girl he had saved was Rukia. He waved mildly to Rukia.

"Hey," he said.

Rukia stopped in front of him, smiling. Ichigo scowled, mumbling incoherently. Chad was silent as usual. Yoruichi stood with her arms crossed and gazing at Renji with amusement. Uryuu was readjusting his cape, Orihime beside him, smiling brightly.

Rukia looked over at Hanatoro. "Oh, Hanatoro! Just who I was looking for..."

"Wait a minute," Renji interrupted, "You weren't looking for me?"

Rukia gave him a reprimanding look before turning back to Hanatoro. Ichigo barely suppressed a smirk. "We're looking for Hisana. Do you know where she is?"

Hanatoro nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, follow me."

He walked past Renji and rounded a turn. Renji fell in line beside Ichigo. He raised his eyebrows and Ichigo just shrugged, raising his hands in a 'you know Rukia' gesture.

"Hisana's asleep right now," Hanatoro stated, "But we've allowed a few in to see her: Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku, Lieutenant Ise. She was fatigued when Hisagi brought her. And she had these strange markings on her right arm, similar to bruises. Captain Unohana tried to heal her, but was unsuccessful."

His eyes clouded with concern and sadness. "It caused her pain when Captain attempted. She's been asleep ever since. I'll let you in, just be quiet and let her rest."

Hanatoro had stopped in front of a closed door. He turned the knob and gently opened the door. As each person entered, they were caught offguard by the sight before them. Hisana was curled on her left side, asleep in the hospital bed. Byakuya sat in the chair next to the bed, his usually emotionless features thoughtful and warm. He didn't bother looking up.

"Brother," Rukia breathed. She was surprised to see her brother here. How had he found out? It was the first time since his confession to her that he openly showed emotion. She felt happy and sad for this heartbreaking reunion.

Byakuya gazed at the gathering across the room, processing their reactions. He knew better, knew this wasn't his Hisana, but seeing her had brought back all the emotions he tried to suppress. He persuaded himself the pain afterwards would be worth it. He stood up, looking down at Hisana. Her bruised hand rested near his, anger flared within him at the sight, and he felt compelled to brush it softly. It was as soft as he remembered. He walked around the bed and through the crowd, out the door. He didn't say a word.

Rukia watched her brother go. She wanted to follow him, but she felt he needed to be left alone. Instead she went over to check on Hisana. Hisana's face was drawn and hollow, the circles under her eyes more definite. Sorrow washed over Rukia. Her sister must have suffered.

"Rukia," Ichigo said, stepping up beside her. She looked up then across the room. Renji and Yoruichi had disappeared. Renji most likely going after Byakuya. Captain Unohana stood in the midst of the group.

"Captain Unohana," Rukia acknowledged.

Retsu smiled friendly. "If I may, I'd like to borrow Orihime's help with Hisana."

Orihime nodded. "Yes, of course."

"Thank you." Retsu addressed everyone else. "Please go into the next room through here."

She indicated the sliding doors behind Hanatoro, connecting the two rooms. Once everyone had left, Retsu went over to Hisana.

"You can open your eyes now," she stated.

Hisana's eyes opened instantly. "How did you know?"

"Your breathing pattern and heartrate. How long were you awake?"

Hisana didn't know whether to admit she knew Byakuya or not. "Since the man who sat beside me. I didn't know what to do."

Retsu smiled, then motioned for Orihime to join her. "I'd like Orihime to try to heal you. It's possible she can."

Orihime and Hisana grinned at each other.

"I'll try my best," Orihime promised.

"However," Retsu continued, her eyes darkening. "I fear it will be as painful as when I attempted. Or even more."

Hisana blanched at the reminder. Orihime looked worried as well as Retsu. Hisana breathed deeply, knowing her answer immediately.

"I can handle it," she decided, looking at Orihime. "You may be my only option."

"Very well," Retsu replied, "We'll start now, the sooner the better."

* * *

Raiden stared angrily at the massive hole in the wall where Hisana had escaped. How had she been able to do this? In all of her past lives, she had never shown any special abilities. He didn't understand what went wrong and now Masumi was dead. Raiden had absorbed the particles that had made their way to him. Masumi's power was now his own, but it didn't give him any pleasure. He lost a comrade and important piece to taking down the Seireitei.

"Kenta!" Raiden called, turning away from the opening. Kenta appeared in the doorway. "Go give these soul reapers a taste of our power. They took one of ours, take some of theirs."

**A/N:** R&R please. By the way, botulinum is an actual poison and the symptoms are as I mentioned. Thanks to everyone who has been with me so far. You are all AMAZING! XD


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

Chapter Six

"Are you ready, Hisana?" Retsu asked

Hisana hesitated, gauging her nerves. Her arm still hurt and she was losing feeling and motor ability in her fingers. She took a deep breath.

"Yeah, let me get as comfortable as possible first," Hisana replied. She took off her black shirt and her boots, remaining in a white tank top, jeans, and socks. She took the scarf off from around her neck and wrapped it around left hand to hold onto. Retsu had had the bed removed and a soft pallet left in its place for Hisana to rest on. She didn't want to risk Hisana falling off the bed as Orihime worked. She had also warned the others waiting to ignore any sounds they heard coming from the room, in case Hisana should cry out.

Hisana sat down on the pallet and lied back. Orihime kneeled beside her on her right side, focusing on her infected arm.

"Should I heal her whole body or just her arm?" Orihime asked Retsu.

"Whole body. The poison may have spread without us knowing," Retsu replied, sitting opposite Orihime. "Be strong, Hisana. The healing should be relatively quick if Orihime is able to get past the barriers."

Hisana nodded, closing her eyes. Her heart was racing with anticipation. She didn't hear what Orihime said, being more concerned about calming herself. When she opened her eyes, she saw an orange shield surrounding her entire body. She inhaled sharply, the pain in her arm flaring up several degrees. She was glad it was only focused in her arm, meaning the poison hadn't spread. But it felt like her arm was on fire. The marks were blazing red, scorching her skin, trying to keep the poison within. It was becoming unbearable, she wanted to scream. She pressed her free hand to her mouth to muffle any sound that escaped her lips. She squeezed her eyes shut as the heat increased. A black aura manifested around her arm, the marks digging even deeper. She screamed, the sound barely contained behind her hand.

"Keep going, Orihime," Retsu called. The markings on Hisana's arm were making an unsettling humming noise. Hisana was fighting to stay still, but Retsu didn't know how long she could keep it up. And Orihime was getting discouraged.

"Okay," Orihime agreed, concentrating. She couldn't feel or see if she was healing Hisana. Hisana was quivering, trying to stay strong. It disheartened Orihime to see her friend in so much pain.

"Don't stop," Hisana gasped, opening her eyes and looking at Orihime. Orihime paused, realizing Hisana was doing her best to comfort her even though she was hurting. Determination set in, propelling Orihime to pour all of her being into helping Hisana. Her spiritual pressure flowed around her, enveloping her in its orange glow. She closed her eyes and willed the poison to go away.

"I reject!" she cried.

The black aura reacted to Orihime's efforts harshly, tearing into Hisana's arm. Hisana cried out past her hand, tears streaming down her face. The aura grew, slamming against Orihime's barrier. Strange symbols appeared, circling Hisana's arm at three different points. Orihime pushed against the aura as it attacked. It began to evaporate with each attack, detaching in shreds. The rings of symbols broke and disappeared. The aura vanished completely and Hisana calmed. Her arm was badly cut, but the marks were gone. Orihime continued and healed the cuts, leaving scars.

"It normally heals without leaving a mark," Orihime worried, turning to Retsu.

Retsu smiled. "It's okay, Orihime. As long as she is alive."

Retsu stood up and went around to Orihime's side. She used her own healing kido to confirm the poison was gone. She found nothing, Hisana was completely healthy.

Hisana turned towards them. Orihime's barrier dissolved, two points on one of her barrettes reappearing. Hisana raised her arm to gaze at it. It was back to normal except for the white scars. The scars were small, but noticeable, following the same pattern as the black marks. She flexed her fingers and moved her arm around. She lifted herself to a sitting position despite her fatigue.

"You should rest," Orihime stated, holding up her arms to dissuade Hisana's movements.

"It's okay," Hisana said, "I'm fine, I can rest later. I need to tell you guys about what we're up against."

Retsu agreed and helped Hisana to her feet.

"You should change first," Retsu pointed out.

Hisana glanced down and saw the red stains along her side. "You're right."

Retsu handed her a white kimono. She and Orihime left while Hisana dressed.

* * *

The group had remained silent after Retsu warned them they would hear some screams. Byakuya had reverted back to his apathetic expression, sitting with his back to the connecting doorway. Shunsui had dropped his playful facade and was solemn as well as his friend. Nanao was serious as usual. Chad was unmoving beside her. Uryuu worried about Orihime, feeling her spiritual pressure increase. The situation was obviously bad if Orihime had to release so much power. Hanataro was fixing Renji's wounds from his previous ordeal. Renji and Ichigo were trying to distract Rukia by talking about Renji's battle.

"How big was the guy?" Ichigo asked.

"Bigger than Zaraki," Renji replied, lifting his arms as Hanataro wrapped gauze around his midsection.

"Hm, he did that to you? Come on, Renji. Can't you fight without getting hurt?"

"Hey, his size wasn't the problem. It was his damn ability to take away my powers!"

Ichigo raised his eyebrows. "Eh?"

"Yeah. Zabimaru disappeared right out of my hand. And we all know I'm not the best with kido."

"That's for sure."

"You can't perform kido either, Ichigo," Rukia chimed in, turning away from her brother and giving Ichigo one of her superior looks. Ichigo soured at her expression and Renji snickered, causing him to wince in pain at his broken ribs.

A muffled scream sounded from the room. Rukia cringed and stared at her brother. His face didn't reveal whatever he was feeling, but she could see the tension in his shoulders and his hands clenched into fists. Since he was closer to the door, it was more than likely he had heard more than this scream.

"Orihime's spiritual pressure has skyrocketed," Uryuu declared, clutching the ends of his uniform. "It's higher than I've ever witnessed."

"She's done this before," Rukia stated, "With the bount who's doll uses possession. She saved me."

Uryuu nodded, but was still worried about his girlfriend. Rukia began focusing on the activity in Hisana's room. There was some other type of spiritual pressure besides Orihime, Retsu, and Hisana's. It felt dark and powerful. It clashed angrily against Orihime's and tore at Hisana's. Another scream, unfiltered, reverberated from the room. The other spiritual pressure began to dissipate.

"It's over," Uryuu said with relief. Orihime's spiritual pressure had declined. A few minutes later, the sliding doors opened to reveal Orihime and Retsu. Orihime swayed a little bit, Retsu catching her. Uryuu jumped to his feet and hurried to assist Orihime. She smiled, waving off their concern.

"Sorry," Orihime apologized, "I'm just tired."

Uryuu took her arm and helped her sit. Retsu sat beside her. The group shifted uneasily, waiting for Retsu to speak. Before she could, Rangiku came crashing through the door, her steaming, white-haired captain trailing behind her. Ikkaku and Yumichika sauntered in after them.

"That wasn't a beautiful entrance, Rangiku," Yumichika chided. Rangiku humphed and stuck her tongue out at him. She bounded over to Nanao and squeezed between her and Uryuu. Hitsugaya's eyebrows furrowed even deeper, gnashing his teeth in frustration. Ikkaku just smirked and crossed the room to sit next to Renji. Yumichika followed in a stuck-up manner.

"Psst! Captain!" Rangiku whispered loudly. Hitsugaya glared at her. "You're now at eye-level!"

Silence filled the room as everyone took in what Rangiku had said. Hitsugaya stood, arms crossed with an incredulous expression on his face, an imaginary ruler measuring him and the others sitting. He was the exact height of the majority of the soul reapers gathered. Renji, Ichigo, and Ikkaku burst out with laughter. Jyuushiro and Retsu chuckled mildly. Rangiku tried smothering her laughter, snorting loudly. Orihime giggled at Rangiku's actions, Uryuu smirking as well. Nanao kept smacking Shunsui's shoulder with her fan, trying to dissuade him from encouraging Rangiku. Chad, Yumichika, and Hanatoro just smiled. Byakuya and Rukia were the only ones who didn't laugh. Rukia didn't appreciate short jokes.

"If you are finished," Hitsugaya grounded out, perching next to Retsu. "Can we get down to business? Captain Ukitake, you said you had some information about the intruder."

"Relatively, yes," Jyuushiro replied. He looked over at Retsu. "But we'll have to wait until our informant is rested.

"Actually, Hisana will be out in a moment," Retsu stated, "She wishes to speak about what has happened.

The sliding doors opened once more.

* * *

The white kimono was loose but comfortable. Hisana took her hair down, running her fingers through it, and braided it to rest on her left shoulder. She could hear the others talking and wondered what she should do. Should she tell them everything? The dreams, Raiden's revenge? She didn't know.

She had to tell them about Raiden's plan, but she wasn't sure she should tell them about her part in it. It didn't feel like something they absolutely needed to know. And it would spare them pain, especially Rukia and Byakuya. It was her past to deal with and she wanted to protect them from it.

She folded her jeans and stained shirt and placed them beside her boots on the floor. She pulled scarf off as well and placed it on top. She paused and stared at the scars on her arm. It was like the marks were still there except they had turned from black to white. There was a difference though, she was regaining her strength and didn't feel as tired as she usually did.

Hisana moved to the doors and quietly slide them open. She met several pairs of eyes, halting her in her tracks. She smiled timidly, mouthing a 'hello' before stepping hesitantly over towards Retsu. Her gaze caught the back of Byakuya's head and she froze once more, a memory of them holding hands in a garden washing over her. She blushed, bowing her head to hide it, and continued, sitting in the open space between a white-haired kid...and Byakuya.

Rukia watched Hisana sit beside her brother. Her complexion was better, but still too pale and fatigued. She had caught the strange expression on Hisana's face as she passed Byakuya, a mixture of longing and sadness. She watched a light pink blossom on Hisana's cheeks before she bowed her head. Rukia was puzzled by Hisana's reaction.

Hisana could feel everyone staring at her and she panicked. Did they see? How can she keep her returned memories a secret if she couldn't control her emotions? She sneaked a glance to her left, but couldn't really see past her hair. She glanced up and caught Rukia's quizzical expression. She gulped visibly, trying to think of a way to start. A loud gurgling noise sounded in the room. Hisana placed her hand over her stomach. It grumbled raucously once more. Everyone continued to stare. Hisana burst into laughter, startling the kid beside her. Byakuya didn't budge.

"I'm sorry," Hisana said once her fit had subsided. She smiled widely. "I didn't realize how hungry I am."

"That's quite alright," said a white-haired man sitting next to Ichigo. "We can have something brought for you."

"How about lunch for everyone?" Retsu suggested, catching Renji's obvious disappointment. He brightened at Retsu's idea. Retsu called for her third seat and had him acquire food for the group.

Hisana glanced between the white-haired man and the kid beside her. Recognition tweaked her mind about the man. "Uh, excuse me? But are you two related?"

The kid tensed.

Hisana looked at the man. "He's a really cute kid."

The man opened his mouth, but was interrupted.

"We're not related!" the kid cried, "And I'm not a kid. I'm Captain Hitsugaya of Squad 10."

"Really? You don't look much older than Ichigo's sisters."

"I'm older than you."

Hisana laughed. "I doubt that. I've lived about five lives now."

"What?"

Rukia glanced up at Ichigo. His question rang true for everyone who had heard Hisana's remark. Rukia looked back to Hisana, watching her slowly turn towards Ichigo.

"What do you mean, Hisana?" Ichigo asked.

Hisana rebuked herself mentally for her slipup. It was going to be hard to keep the truth from them. She remained calm, her expression blank.

"Just that I feel like I've lived for centuries instead of seventeen years," she replied softly.

Ichigo's scowl deepened. "You're a terrible liar."

"Ichigo," Rukia scolded. Ichigo ignored her.

"I was nice enough not to force you to tell me about those bruises and look what happened. Why can't you see that you have friends to help you? It's not being strong. Keeping secrets, whether to protect us or yourself, isn't strength."

Shame washed over Hisana. She wasn't trying to be strong, but part of Raiden's plan was to harm Byakuya. If he found out, if she told him, it would hurt him terribly. She glanced hesitantly at Rukia, catching her sympathetic expression, then peeked at Byakuya. His eyes were open and gazing strongly at Ichigo. Despite his apathetic facade, Hisana could see his anger towards Ichigo. Sighing, she decided to come clean.

"Fine, fine," she admitted, waving her hands in surrender. "You win, nosy."

Ichigo sputtered. "Nosy!"

"I wasn't trying to be strong. Some things are none of your business. It's my choice to let you in or not. When I lied about the bruises, I didn't foresee being kidnapped and poisoned by some madman I had apparently known in another life. And, yes, there was someone I wanted to protect because the majority of this plot revolves around him."

Her anger surprised her. All she had felt that day was pain, grief, shame, and guilt. But she was angry. Angry at herself for her weak character, at what was happening, and furious at Raiden for his intent to harm those she loves. She crossed her arms and stared angrily at the floor, mumbling under her breath.

"Way to go, Ichigo," Renji congratulated, "You made her mad. Aish, she and Rukia are so alike."

For a second time, Hisana looked up at Renji as well as Rukia and they both stuck their tongues out at him. Ichigo laughed.

"Stop that!" Renji commanded, "It's creepy."

Rukia looked over to Hisana, meeting her eyes, and both begun to laugh. The third seat returned then and ushered other soul reapers carrying bundles of food with them. Hisana's stomach grumbled again at the sight, but she wasn't alone this time. Renji's was protesting against its lack of sustenance as well. Hisana chuckled as she watched him grab at the food, the bald guy and pretty one joining in.

"Please, dig in," Retsu offered. Hisana complied, like the others, and soon everyone was enjoying a hearty lunch. No one really spoke throughout, other than to introduce themselves to Hisana, so when they were finished, the topic circled back to Hisana.

"Okay, Hisana. Tell us what you want to tell us," Ichigo said bitterly. He was still peeved about her comment earlier.

"Crybaby," Rukia mumbled. He glared at her, Rukia smirked behind her cup of tea.

"How to start?" Hisana questioned herself aloud. She tapped a finger on her chin, face scrunched in concentration.

"Maybe you should start from the beginning," Jyuushiro recommended.

"Or when you developed spiritual pressure," Uryuu suggested.

Hisana stared at him for a few seconds. "You know?"

"I'm very adept to sensing spiritual pressures. No matter how well they are concealed."

Hisana sighed. "I was born on April 4 in Tokyo, Japan. I will be seventeen this year. My parents were Naoki and Amaya Kobayashi. My dad was a lawyer and my mom a doctor. I went to an international boarding school in England when I was eight. I visited home, of course, every summer break. When I was fifteen, my parents and I went on a road trip. We stopped in Karakura for lunch and ended up staying there over night."

Hisana's tone darkened and her features became solemn. "Something happened that night, I don't really remember. The police marked it off as my father lost control of the car and it went crashing and rolling into a building. My parents died in the accident. I remained in the boarding school until a feeling brought me back to the site of my parents' death. Then, I decided to move to Karakura."

"You were there when your parents died?" Chad asked.

"Yes, I was in the back seat. All I can remember is driving along happily, my dad singing loudly and off-key to the radio, when something crashed into the side of the car. I tried to tell the cops that something hit us, but they wouldn't listen."

"It could have been related to the hollow activity," Uryuu decided, "Around the same time that Ichigo and Rukia met." Uryuu looked over at Ichigo then back to Hisana. "It would also explain your spiritual pressure."

"Actually," Hisana began, "I could see spirits and these 'hollows' before the accident. It started when I was ten and I saw this strange, pale man with a chain hanging from his chest standing beside my dad. I thought I was going crazy."

"Do you have any special powers?" Orihime asked, "Like mine or Chad's?"

"Yeah, right," Ikkaku chimed in, "She hasn't been hanging around Ichigo long enough to develop one."

Ichigo scowled at him.

"Let's not bicker," Yumichika chided, "It's not very beautiful."

"You're giving me a headache with all this 'beautiful' crap," Renji complained.

"You're all giving me a headache!" Ichigo cried.

"You want to go, tough guy!" Ikkaku challenged, leaning towards Ichigo.

"Bring it on, baldy!" Ichigo retorted.

The boys started fighting openly then. Rukia got caught between Ichigo and Renji and was struggling to get out.

"Boys," Rangiku scoffed.

"Um, excuse me?" Hisana said, "Could you please stop?"

They kept at it, either not hearing her or ignoring her all together.

"Enough!"

Renji straightened automatically at his captain's command. Rukia was able to force Ichigo back down beside her, his expression annoyed. Ikkaku and Yumichika settled down last. Hisana stared up at Byakuya, hearing his real voice for the first time.

Shunsui chuckled at the skirmish. "Some things remain the same."

"That's for sure," Hitsugaya agreed.

"Hisana, please continue," Jyuushiro encouraged.

Hisana nodded, facing Orihime. "I wouldn't really know if it's like yours or Chad's. It was after the accident that hollows started finding me and my abilities grew out of my necessity."

"Oh, it is like ours," Orihime stated, "I had been fighting to protect my friend, Tatsuki."

"I was protecting Ichigo's sister," Chad said.

"Okay, so she has powers," Ikkaku admitted, "Can we get on about the intruder?"

"So impatient," Rangiku chided. Ikkaku soured at her remark.

Hisana paused for a moment. She was going to have to tell them, but she was still determined to protect Byakuya and Rukia as much as possible. She relayed her conversation with Raiden, every detail. She left out that she was remembering her previous life and played the ignorant fool when it came to explaining her reactions to Raiden's admonitions.

"So, Byakuya is a target," Jyuushiro pointed out.

"Yes," Hisana replied, "But he isn't the whole focus. It's something else, something bigger. Raiden said he was only using me as a distraction and for his revenge."

"Revenge? Why?" Rukia asked, looking to her brother. He had listened patiently to Hisana's story with his eyes closed. Now they were open and focused on Hisana. Hisana was avoiding his gaze. As she spoke of the parts about herself and Byakuya, she gave away that she knew more than she was saying. Byakuya caught this, but didn't say anything. Something was odd about this whole ordeal.

"Do you remember this Raiden, Byakuya?" Jyuushiro asked.

Byakuya turned to his old mentor. "No."

His gaze fell back to Hisana, who was having trouble keeping her eyes open. Jyuushiro followed his gaze, nodded, and signaled Retsu with his eyes. Retsu caught the indication.

"Hisana dear, why don't you go rest for a while?" Retsu advised, "You need to sleep."

"Okay." Hisana muffled a yawn, standing up. With a brisk wave, she disappeared into the other room. Hanataro closed the doors behind her and returned to his spot.

"I would imagine she'd sleep for hours," Retsu commented, "Now we can speak without confusing her even more than she already is."

"I don't know," Ichigo said, "Something tells me she does know."

"It would seem we're at the same conclusion," Byakuya said.

"Back to this Raiden," Shunsui remarked, "Are you sure you don't remember who he is?"

"No," Byakuya repeated, "Hisana was secretive about her life before we married. She had wanted to forget as much of her past as possible save her sister." He looked at Rukia. "Abandoning Rukia was the only fault she wished to correct."

Jyuushiro nodded solemnly. "There are some things we cannot erase from our pasts."

" However, there was an incident that occurred around the time we were married. It was downplayed as a simple intervention, no real force needed. The Secret Corps handled it quickly."

"He's right," Shunsui agreed, "Yama-jii sent the orders. I questioned him about it but he said it was not worth the effort of even thinking about it. These two circumstances could be the same."

"Then, Hisana didn't betray this Raiden," Jyuushiro pointed out, "More than likely, our intelligence picked up on their activities and thus the Secret Corps was deployed."

"It doesn't really matter," Ichigo said, "Raiden believes Hisana betrayed him and Byakuya is to blame. But what is his real intention?"

Rukia frowned, determination gleaming in her eyes. "Well, let's not just sit around and wait. From what Hisana's told us, there are only five of them. Four now, thanks to Renji."

"Underestimating our enemy is a dangerous action," Uryuu commented, readjusting his glasses. He stared poignantly at Rukia. Rukia returned his gaze.

"I'm not saying to charge in, hotheaded and cocky like Ichigo."

"Hey!" Ichigo cried. Rukia ignored him.

"Rukia's right," Jyuushiro said, "Matters will only get worse and drag on, causing more harm, if we wait for our enemy to move. We could use Hisana's information and track down their hiding spot and confront them."

"Hanataro, I would like you to check on Hisana please," Retsu commanded softly.

Hanataro gave a quick nod and disappeared into the next room.

Renji sighed loudly. "They're obviously hiding in the Rukon district."

"The question is: which one?" Ikkaku asked.

"Either way," Yumichika began, "it's going to take forever to find them. The Rukon district is rather large."

"Aw! Such crybabies today," Rangiku chided.

Ichigo scoffed. "Renji can bring us to where he fought the big guy and we can start from there. Come on, guys, you're so…"

Ichigo froze. Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to continue. Ichigo had this strange, cold sensation infiltrating his body and locking him in place. Rukia was alarmed as Ichigo remained still, barely breathing and not blinking.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" she asked forcefully. She sat up on her knees and placed a hand on his shoulder. He felt cool to the touch.

"I…can't…" Ichigo struggled to speak. He had no control over his facial features as well. A tugging feeling began at his midsection, as if a rope was tied around him and someone was yanking the opposite end. "…move."

The feeling tightened and hauled Ichigo back. He went crashing through the paper doors leading to a small oasis for patients to peruse as they healed. He tumbled over the grass, still unable to move.

"Ichigo!"

Rukia scrambled outside after Ichigo, the others following suit. She saw Ichigo lying on the ground, not moving.

"Wait, Rukia!" Uryuu cried, grabbing her arm and stopping her from going to Ichigo. Renji came up beside them. "We don't know if this is a trap."

A malicious cackle echoed throughout the little arena. The three stood still, gazing around to find the source. Orihime and Retsu remained on the porch. Nanao had barely left the room before she froze at the cackle. Jyuushiro, Shunsui, and Byakuya were staggered on the porch steps. Chad stood behind Uryuu with Ikkaku and Yumichika backing up Renji. Rangiku moved next to Nanao, standing between her and Orihime. Hitsugaya had flown out faster than Rukia and was closer to where Ichigo lay.

"My, my, aren't we a smart one?" the voice mocked, resounding off the walls. It seemed to be coming from everywhere. Then, from the shadows ahead of where Ichigo remained, a dark mass emerged into the sunlight. The man was thin and ghost-like with white skin. He wore black robes, a silver amulet hanging from his neck. His eyes were violet, his pale hair sleeked back into a low ponytail.

He smiled crookedly. "You were correct to abandon your friend here." He pointed to Ichigo with a bony finger. "You would have fallen into my trap and then I wouldn't have had any fun."

"Who are you?" Hitsugaya asked, his hand poised to draw his blade.

"The name's Kenta," the man replied. He leaped onto the roof opposite the soul reapers and friends. "And I'm ready for some real entertainment."

Ichigo lay there, listening. It was hard to breathe, the coldness restricting his involuntary movements as well. He barely felt himself rise and was even more detached when he drew Zangetsu. He gazed in shock as he prepared to attack Hitsugaya. A whispery voice urged him on. _No! No, no, no, no, no!_ he cried inwardly. He tried to yell at Hitsugaya, explain it wasn't him, tried pulling back. Nothing responded to him.

Hitsugaya watched Ichigo rise sloppily from the ground. He drew Hyourinmaru, sensing what was to come. Ichigo's expression was entirely blank and lifeless. His motions equally so, lacking the usual vigor it once held. After a moment, when it seemed one of them would have to attack, the man started laughing again.

"Oh, I just had an idea," he said, closing his eyes briefly. "There we go. So much better."

Ichigo's face came alive and he began to shout. "Get back! Run! I can't control myself."

Black spiritual pressure exploded around Ichigo, enveloping him. When it diminished, he stood in his bankai form and his hollow mask set on his face.

**A/N:** Phew! I've got a lot of homework to do. It was so hard trying to finish this chapter because I was so tired and kept getting my Macbeth paper confused with this one. So I'm sorry for the delay. I'm going to get back on track and have a chapter up every week like I used to before break. Thanks everyone sooooo much for the awesome reviews. Until next time! :D


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

Chapter Seven

_Hisana lay silently on the bed, waiting for sleep to claim her. She was exhausted and restless at the same time. Changing positions didn't help and she feared waking Byakuya. He had been working later everyday for the past week. Then he would come home and help take care of a sick wife. She felt so ashamed for being a burden for him. If she didn't spend everyday wandering through the streets of the Rukon district, looking for Rukia, and rested, the ailment would pass by sooner. Yet she couldn't bring herself to stop, even for one day._

_Her throat began to burn, raw from several coughing fits throughout the day. She gently removed the covers and moved to slip on her sandals and a haori. She slid the paper-screen doors quietly and stepped out, closing the doors behind her. A cup of tea would be soothing for her throat and maybe it would help her sleep._

_She didn't bother waking anyone up to prepare the tea and went to the kitchen herself. The servants always made a fuss when she tried doing things on her own. It wasn't right for Lord Byakuya's wife to do such simple acts. It took less than ten minutes to brew the tea. She washed the dishes she used and replaced them where she had found them. Carrying her cup, she returned to Byakuya and her room. She sat upon the edge of the porch and sipped her tea._

"_Hisana."_

_She paused mid-sip and looked up at her husband standing in the open doorway. She removed the cup from her lips and smiled. "I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep."_

_He nodded, walking over and joining her. "I noticed."_

"_Do you want a cup?" Hisana asked, "We could share but I don't want you to get sick."_

_Byakuya reached over and took the cup from her hands. He took a sip. "I'll take the chance."_

_Hisana tried to take the cup back, but he held it out of reach. She gave up, settling back down. "Fine. If you get sick, it'll give me the opportunity to take care of you as you have done for me."_

_A small smile slide onto Byakuya's. He handed the cup back to Hisana and watched her drink._

"_You're wearing my captain haori by the way," he commented, pulling on the edge of the clothing._

_Hisana looked at the haori and sighed. "I hadn't even realized."_

_Byakuya chuckled softly. Hisana grinned, resting her head against his arm. She offered the remainder of the tea, but he refused. She drained the rest and relaxed. Her throat felt better and she was getting sleepy. She yawned loudly._

"_Time for bed," Byakuya stated, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her as he stood. He entered their bedroom, sliding the doors back into place._

"_We forgot the cup," Hisana reminded him._

"_I'll get it later," he said, laying her down upon their bed. He removed his haori from around her shoulders and tucked her in. He replaced the haori on its peg and returned to his position beside Hisana. He pulled the blankets up and relaxed. He looked over at Hisana, saw her questioning look, and stretched out an arm for her. She smiled brightly and scooted closer, wrapping her arm around his midsection. He held her close and drifted to sleep.

* * *

_

Hisana awoke to clashing metal and shouts. She sat up, glancing over at Hanataro peeking through the door.

"What's going on?" she asked. Hanataro turned back to her, surprised to see her awake and motioned for her to join him.

"Another bad guy showed up," he replied, "He possessed Ichigo and went on a rampage. And now, everyone is under his control."

His last sentence ended in a whimper. Hisana moved over to him and looked through the crack in the doorway. She gasped at the scene. She saw Ichigo poised with a smaller blade pointed at Rukia. Byakuya was standing, sword in hand, across from Hitsugaya. Ikkaku held a spear against Renji, Yumichika on the ground beside them. Rangiku held her blade to Chad's chest; Uryuu had a pale blue bow aimed at Orihime and Retsu. Jyuushiro and Shunsui faced each other. Nanao lay on the porch, bleeding from a wound on her arm.

A man in black was perched on top of the roof, overlooking the grounds before him. Hisana spot a weird darkness, like a shadow, creeping down from him and spreading in web-like appendages connected to the others.

"We've got to do something," she stated.

Hanataro blanched and started shaking. "But how? Even the captains were incapacitated."

"Tell me about yourself, Hanataro."

* * *

Nanao watched Ichigo's transformation from the open doorway. Although she could sense the new enemy using his spiritual pressure, she couldn't tell how he was possessing Ichigo. _It could be the amulet he's wearing,_ she thought. A movement to her right caught her eye. She glanced over but only saw her shadow. She turned back to the others when realization dawned on her. The sun was directly overhead now. There was no way she could cast a shadow. She swung back to the dark shadow as it attached itself to her. She felt a coldness spread over her, immobilizing her. She gasped, trying to move.

"Nanao?" Rangiku asked, catching Nanao's horrified expression.

Shunsui heard the concern in Rangiku's voice and turned back towards Nanao. She was frozen, her eyes wide open and mouth quivering. Without thinking, Shunsui went to her side.

"Captain, no!" Nanao forced the words out, but it didn't stop him. She watched helplessly as the shadow stretched from her and latched onto him. His alarmed features slid into a blank expression as he drew his wakizashi.

"Shunsui! What are you doing!" Rangiku cried, moving to stop him. An enormous blast of energy rocketed towards her and she leapt out of the way. Retsu and Orihime dashed away as well. The blast missed Shunsui as he advanced on Nanao. Nanao looked at him in horror, unable to defend herself. He raised the blade over his head, towering over her.

"Na…nao…" he whispered, struggling to stop himself. His body shook as he fought for control. He lost feeling in his arm and cried out as the blade headed for Nanao. Nanao was pulled away at the last moment, the blade cutting her left arm. Jyuushiro had his own katana unsheathed and pointing towards his long time friend. Nanao lay still on the floor, her arm hurting slightly. The shadow extended from her once more and attached itself to its next victim.

Rangiku landed in the yard opposite Chad. His right arm had transformed into the armored covering with blue-white energy spouting from the top. She looked at him coolly. It seemed their enemy could possess more than one person. She felt a cold grip grasp onto her and spread.

Orihime watched in shock as Tsubaki attacked Uryuu. He dodged the attack easily since Orihime's heart wasn't into it. Retsu stood behind her, unmoving, having been caught by the enemy's control as well. Uryuu glanced over at Orihime, saw her expression, and noted what was wrong. Kenta had gotten to her, too. He grimaced at his own stupidity as his movements began to act of their own accord.

Ichigo had remained still as the chaos unfurled around him. Hitsugaya shook with anger. His body would not respond to his commands. He had been captured.

Rukia listened to the outbreaks around her, but kept her eyes on Ichigo. She hadn't removed her katana from its sheath yet, even when Ikkaku was taken over. Yumichika confronted his friend first, but was soon incapacitated. Renji deflected Ikkaku's attack and left Rukia standing on her own. She always hated when Ichigo used his mask, though she understood its necessity, and it was more frightening now that he was using against her. Any moment now, he would come after her.

Ichigo struggled against Kenta's hold. The voice whispered for him to attack Rukia and he refused to do so. Despite his efforts, he found himself before her. She gazed up at him calmly, her blade sheathed still.

"NO!" Zangetsu sliced towards her. She didn't move. There was no point, she couldn't anyways. A blade repelled Zangetsu. Byakuya stood between Rukia and Ichigo, Senbonzakura held coolly in his hand.

"Brother," Rukia whispered.

A whirl of white collided with Byakuya, drawing him away from Rukia and Ichigo. Hitsugaya clashed heavily against Byakuya, forcing him closer to Kenta. A shadow shot out and attached onto Byakuya. Byakuya's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

Kenta cackled. "Now everyone is under my control."

His greedy eyes washed over the gathering before him. "Who should I have killed first? It's no fun to kill those of little importance in my lord's plan. But I could make an exception for the one who killed Masumi." He looked over at Renji, then turned towards Uryuu. "Or have the Quincy kill his beloved."

His eyes fell on Rukia. "Perhaps I should put the abandoned sister out of her misery. What you must be going through? Finally seeing the sister who callously left you in the streets. Poor thing."

Rukia cringed at his remark. She had been fighting with her feelings over the whole ordeal with Hisana. She wanted to understand why her sister left her, but knew she never would. Ichigo growled menacingly.

"Then again, it would be easier to get rid of the great and noble Byakuya Kuchiki," Kenta went on, "That would put an end to this useless scheme of revenge. I've decided."

He smiled cruelly at Byakuya. "Goodbye, Kuchiki."

Hitsugaya's grip on Hyourinmaru tightened. He pulled against the force propelling him forwards to Byakuya. Sebonzakura fell involuntarily from Byakuya's hand.

"Brother!"

"Captain!" Rangiku and Renji cried simultaneously.

Loud detonations sounded from the building on which Kenta was standing. The aftershock trembles nearly knocked Kenta off the roof. He fell forward, rolling towards the edge. He managed to stop himself from tumbling over by grabbing onto the outside railing and dangling off the side. He hauled himself back onto the roof and gazed down at the building beneath in bewilderment.

"What the hell is going on!" he shouted, grasping his amulet.

"Fulfill, Akeiro Hisagomaru!"

A red, concentrated discharge shot in-between Hitsugaya and Byakuya, heading straight for Kenta. It blasted to the left of Kenta and caused the whole building to collapse. Kenta plummeted, screaming into the debris. Hanataro stood beside Ichigo, his zanpakto in its shikai form.

Ichigo exhaled with relief as the coldness disappeared and he was able to move him own body again. The others around him dropped from their battle stances, no longer under Kenta's control.

"Way to go, Hanataro! Rangiku cheered.

Hanataro blushed. "It…it was nothing."

"I didn't think you had it in you," Ikkaku commented. Yumichika nodded in agreement.

"He's not dead," Nanao pointed out, stepping down beside Shunsui.

"Nanao! How's your arm?" Shunsui asked in concern.

Nanao revealed her arm. "Hanataro healed it. That was how he was able to use his shikai."

"Wow, that's quick thinking, Hanataro," Orihime praised, "You're so brave."

Hanataro sputtered, embarrassed. "Really, I didn't do much. Hisana was…"

Another powerful explosion interrupted Hanataro's sentence. Large pieces of debris went flying, revealing Kenta, his eyes glowing red with anger and a black, double-bladed katana in his right hand. Hisana was sprawled on the ground before him, bleeding from a small gash above her left hip.

"You stupid woman!" Kenta cried, grabbing Hisana around her neck and dragging her up from the ground. She grasped onto his arm with one hand, staring defiantly at him. He snarled at her, not noticing her other hand reaching towards him. He hurled her back to the ground. She hit the terrain hard and rolled a few feet away from Kenta.

"Hisana!" Rukia cried, dashing towards her sister. Byakuya held out an arm, stopping her.

"Brother, why?"

"Watch," Byakuya commanded. Standing still and doing nothing while Hisana was in danger went against every fiber in his being. But he knew what she was doing and trusted her.

"You've ruined everything," Kenta ranted, "Lord Raiden's pathetic affections towards you won't save you anymore. Your damn meddling destroyed us once, but never again. I will put an end to you!"

Kenta reached to grab hold of his amulet, preparing to use one of his many tools to dispose of Hisana. He fumbled and gazed in shock at the absence of his talisman.

"Looking for this?" Hisana held the amulet, daggling it from its chain. Red energy danced around her hand, destroying the amulet little by little. Hisana dropped the remainder onto the dirt beside her.

Kenta's face reddened with fury. "You….!"

He launched towards her, reckless and full of openings. Hisana grabbed the zanpakto lying beside her and held it in front of her, hoping the blade would protect her as she planned. Kenta didn't see her actions until it was too late. He fell onto the blade, piercing him in the center of his chest. His eyes widened, his own blade disappearing into a cloud of smoke, and his limbs went slack. Blood streamed from his wound down the sword and onto Hisana's hands. His dark mass melted into blue-white particles and evaporated into the air.

Hisana stared at the sword in her hands. Her hands began to shake as realization of what she had done washed over her. She had just killed a person. It wasn't a hollow, even though she always felt remorse and sorrow for killing them as well. Slender arms wrapped around her shoulders as a pair of hands gently pried the blade from her own.

"I'm surprised Senbozakura allowed her to use him," Hitsugaya commented, "I always figured zanpaktos would never allow anyone but their owners to utilize them."

"That's true," Jyuushiro stated, "But our zanpaktos know what is in our hearts. Even though Hisana is not the same one that was Byakuya's wife, Senbozakura must have understood who she use to be."

Rukia hugged Hisana from the back. She was relieved that Hisana was alright despite her wounds. Hisana held unto Rukia's arms, trying to push away her feelings. She knew she did what was necessary and inevitable. She patted Rukia's arm and moved to stand up. Rukia released her hold and helped Hisana to her feet. Hisana smiled sadly at Rukia when she faced her.

"What's wrong, Hisana?" Orihime asked, "You're crying."

Hisana felt the warm tears streaming down her face. "It's nothing…really."

She lifted a hand to wipe at the tears but froze at the sight. Blood stained her hands, causing more tears. Hisana's face crumpled and she began to sob. She wiped her hands on the sleeve of her robe vigorously. The gash on her side was throbbing and she was getting dizzy with blood loss. Rukia grabbed hold of Hisana as she swayed, bracing her.

"Let's get back inside," Rukia decided, beginning to guide Hisana. She paused when Byakuya approached, Senbozakura sheathed once more at his waist. Hisana looked up at him wistfully. He reached down and casually lifted Hisana into his arms. Hisana continued to cry, resisting her automatic response to cling to him and folding her arms to her chest.

"As much as I hate to do this, I believe paying a visit to Kurotsuchi will help us find where the enemy is hiding," Uryuu declared, displeased with the thought. He wasn't particularly fond of the crazy scientist.

"I'll go with you," Chad offered.

"Captain, let's go, too," Rangiku said. Hitsugaya rolled his eyes but followed as the group left.

"Time to head back," Ikkaku stated, waving nonchalantly over his shoulder. Yumichika followed behind. "Captain'll want to know about this."

"See ya!" Ichigo called.

"I'll go heal Hisana," Orihime decided, traipsing after Byakuya.

"What should we do?" Rukia questioned aloud.

"After Hisana is treated, Retsu should be able to return to her usual duties," Jyuushiro pointed out, "Shunsui and I will go to the Captain Commander and relay what we know so far. I believe it's best if you and Ichigo stay here and help watch over Hisana _and_ Byakuya. If anything else happens, it'll revolve around those two."

"If captain's going to stay, I'll be returning to squad six and watch over things there," Renji said.

"Thanks, Renji," Rukia said. Ichigo nodded with a smirk. Renji returned the expression, waving slightly before flash stepping away.

"Rukia," Ichigo began, scratching the back of his head. Rukia turned to face him with an inquisitive look on her face. "I'm sorry about earlier."

Rukia smiled reassuringly. "It's okay, Ichigo. I knew it wasn't you."

Ichigo grinned, melting out of his bankai form. He replaced Zangetsu onto his back and followed Rukia as she headed inside.

* * *

Toru scowled as Kenta's spiritual pressure disappeared and Raiden's flared in anger. They had gotten so far, yet everything seemed to be unraveling because of one small girl. At first, the possibility of getting revenge along with accomplishing their main goal was intoxicating, but now, he wasn't sure it was wise to continue involving Hisana. Keeping up this pretense was wearing him down, he had yet to even enter the same vicinity of the Captain Commander let alone get close enough to initiate the final step.

"Captain Kurotsuchi!"

Toru paused, turning around to face the young soul reaper, a subordinate of Kurotsuchi. The man hustled quickly towards him, stopping a few yards and kneeling.

"Captain Commander Yamamoto requests your presence," he stated, huffing from exertion.

_What perfect timing!_ Toru thought. "Very well."

"Also, Captain Hitsugaya wishes to speak with you."

"Ah, but I'm afraid I can't keep the Captain Commander waiting."

"It won't take long," Captain Hitsugaya replied, appearing beside the young man. Rangiku flashed beside him with Chad in tow. Uryuu following along using his own Quincy methods.

"Yes, yes, yes, alright. What do you want?" Toru asked with disappointment. He waved his arms in an exasperated manner before resting them on his hips. The whole appearance and movements of this particular captain was hard to keep up.

Uryuu gazed at Kurotsuchi in suspicion. There was something off about the captain, more than usual.

"Do you have any leads on the enemy's location?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Oh, that. Nope, nothing as of yet. Maybe you should speak with the Secret Corps. It is their job after all."

"Hmm…you're right. Let's see with Captain Soi Fon."

"One moment," Uryuu requested, stepping up beside Hitsugaya. He looked squarely at Toru.

"Where's Kurotsuchi?"

**A/N: Forgive me…there were snow storms this past week and my electricity was out. And then the internet was down. The list of complications go on….I want to thank everyone who has stuck with me so far. Your feedback has been really inspiring:D I'm already working on the next chapter, I hope to get it up sometime this week. Till then.3**


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

Chapter Eight

"All done," Orihime declared. She motioned to the corner of the room. "There's a basin of warm water so you can clean up and we brought you some clothes."

She drew a small, drawstring bag seemingly out of thin air and handed it to Hisana. "I thought you would prefer to wear normal clothes instead."

Hisana smiled. "Thanks, Orihime."

Orihime glanced out the open door at the sun's declining distance. "The day's almost gone. It must be about dinnertime. I hope Uryuu and Chad make it back safe."

"I'm sure they will," Hisana assured, standing up. She walked over to the basin, kneeling down, and began washing the filth from her hands and face.

"Yeah." Putting on a determined stance, Orihime placed one hand on her hip and held the other in a less-threatening fist before her. "Then I shall go and prepare a delicious treat for when they return!" She closed the door leading to the courtyard then hustled out of the room to give Hisana her privacy.

Hisana laughed at Orihime's antics, happy she was able to recover so fast. She took her time, scrubbing until her skin was a light shade of pink. Orihime's abilities were truly amazing. There were no marks on her body, not even a slight discoloring from bruises. While she felt tired, she wasn't sore when she moved. A small mirror was propped up next to the basin. Hisana held it up, checking her appearance. Her face looked the same as ever, but she looked older as if the events of the day had aged her. The usual sad look she could never get rid of was a great deal sadder and wiser in some way. She glanced away from her face and stared at her hair. She wished she could take a bath and wash it. She undid her disheveled braid and ran her fingers through it as a makeshift comb. She redid the braid, letting it fall down her back. Grabbing the bag Orihime had left her, Hisana peered within and withdrew a pale pink pajama set. She silently praised Orihime and Rukia for supplying desperately needed undergarments as well. She replaced the white kimono with the pajamas and explored further into the bag. There was another set of night garments and a couple of dresses. Hisana assumed these were Rukia's. She had never personally taken an interest in wearing these kinds of things, but they looked really cute on Rukia so maybe they would suit her as well.

"She's not telling us everything." Ichigo's voice, slightly muffled, sounded from outside the inner doors. Hisana replaced the items back into the bag and approached the doors, listening.

"Ichigo, don't," Rukia warned.

"No, this is enough. I nearly killed you. Someone else could have died. We no longer have the luxury to ignore Hisana's hesitance in revealing all she knows."

"Either way, you will calm yourself." Byakuya's voice held an unspoken threat which Hisana imagined only infuriated Ichigo more. Before anything else could be said, Hisana opened the doors and confronted the three.

"I know of my past life as Rukia's sister and Byakuya's wife," she said, staring up at Ichigo. She blanched inwardly, not having planned to reveal right off what she knew. Her outward expression remained serious. Ichigo's scowl dissolved into shock, echoing Rukia's own mask. Byakuya, ever capable of controlling his emotions, just stared, his eyes slightly wider than usual. Hisana's gaze flashed between Rukia and Byakuya, worried about their reactions above all.

"Are you serious?" Rukia asked, "Why didn't you tell us?"

Hisana's eyes filled with sadness and self-loathing. "How could I? What memories I do have are still scatterbrained. I don't know why I abandoned you. I caused you a great deal of suffering as well as Byakuya." Hisana met Byakuya's cool gaze. "My actions cannot be explained or forgiven until I'm able to remember everything."

Hisana looked back to Rukia. "I can't give you what you want. Not yet at least. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Rukia." Hisana hesitantly placed a hand on Byakuya's arm. "Byakuya."

Byakuya stiffened at Hisana's touch and, without a word or glance, walked haughtily outside. Hisana's hand remained in the air before it drifted back to her side. Rukia watched the defeated expression on Hisana's face and silently cursed her brother's reaction. She had realized, back around the time when she met Hisana once again, that she had come to forgive her sister for the wrong she committed. Through Hisana, Rukia had been able to meet Renji, Byakuya, and Ichigo. She was grateful for these gems that life had given her despite her troubles.

"That bastard!" Ichigo grumbled, stalking off after Byakuya and leaving the girls alone. He knew Hisana was hiding something, but he figured it had something to do about their enemies or her own abilities. He never would have guessed that it would that she was remembering a past life. Byakuya had reached the end of the porch along the building and was rounding the corner when Ichigo caught up.

"What the hell, Byakuya?" he cried, pushing past and stopping in front of him. "Why are you running away?"

Byakuya eyed him with his normal disdain.

"I can't stand you sometimes, and I'm sure the feeling's mutual, but isn't this a good thing? Your long lost love appears in her next life and _remembers _you."

"This doesn't concern you," Byakuya stated acidly. His blank façade was fading slowly as anger built up within him. Hisana's revelation had brought hope back into his heart. But it was replaced with the knowledge that this Raiden character had caused him and his own so much grief. It was no longer a matter of upholding the law and order of the Seireitei; Byakuya was after revenge.

"Like hell, it doesn't," Ichigo replied, "Whether I like it or not, your wellbeing affects Rukia. And especially now with Hisana back in the picture. I won't let your stubbornness hurt Rukia as well as Hisana."

"You would do best to leave me be, boy," Byakuya said, menacingly before flash stepping out of sight. Ichigo swore, turning on his heel and marched heatedly back.

After Ichigo had left, Hisana had retreated back into her room and rested upon her pallet. Rukia followed, sitting beside her.

"I'm sure he just needs some space," Rukia stated.

Hisana smiled wanly. "It's okay, Rukia. I knew this would happen, but to be honest I was half-expecting him to be happy. The barrier between us has fallen and all that remains is what we allow to separate us. I'll wait, and if he wants to be with me, it will gladden me. But if not, I have you at least."

"Yes, you do."

"The night after I met you, I started having these weird dreams. An apparition of Byakuya appeared before me that night. I did not know his name then, nor could I even see his face. Yet he protected me and urged me to remember him. Since that night, I've regained memories: when I first saw Byakuya and met Raiden, moments I shared with Byakuya, and meeting him for the first time. Did he ever tell you how we met?"

Rukia shook her head. She never knew of Hisana until after the incident at Sokyoku hill and the topic seemed too painful to bring up. The hurt Byakuya had shown her when he revealed his secrets had prompted Rukia to never speak of the tie between them.

"What I can remember is that I had escaped Raiden and was actually able to acquire a job in the nicer part of the Rukon district, near to the entrance of the Seireitei. Those days, I didn't search for you. I lived on the hope that I would meet you in that area, but I didn't dare return to where I'd left you for fear of Raiden. I have yet to regain any memory of my time with Raiden. Anyways, it was a popular tea shop/bar. During the daytime it served only tea and meals and at night, it turned into a bar. I only worked during the day and spent the rest of my time surviving. I actually lived in a tree." Hisana laughed at the memory, looking over at Rukia for the first time since she had confessed. Rukia shared her expression.

"The branches of this particular tree were so wide and cluttered together that it provided a nice living space and coverage from peering eyes. One night, when I was working late, there were these ruffians. I was the new object of fancy and several tried to get me to go home with them. I refused, but they kept at it until finally leaving to venture to another pub. As I left the shop, a couple of the men had remained."

"Is this the part where the men attack you and Byakuya comes to the rescue?" Ichigo asked from the doorway, his scowl back in place.

"Yes and no," Hisana replied, "It was Jyuushiro who saved me."

Ichigo left the doorway and sat beside Rukia, still steaming over Byakuya. "Oh?"

"Yeah. Byakuya appeared a few minutes later. There was a lot of hollow activity in the region and soul reapers were required to go on patrols, even captains. That was the second time I'd seen him. The night ended with me thanking Jyuushiro as I hurried off."

"Some meeting," Ichigo scoffed, "Did he even speak to you?"

"No, but after that night, he and Jyuushiro would come to the shop every day for tea. I never joined them, of course, yet Jyuushiro always made a point to ask how I was doing and create some small talk. It was when Jyuushiro stopped coming around, due to his health, that Byakuya and I finally spoke to one another."

"And everything leads from there," Rukia said.

"Ah-huh, Byakuya brought me to his house, declaring I would be employed as a maid, but that never happened. The only duties I performed was serving him tea and providing some conversation. I know you're thinking it's not very romantic, Ichigo, and a little wimpy of Byakuya."

"You got that right."

"But I found it very sweet. I had never had a problem reading Byakuya's emotions despite the mask he wore. There are still bits and pieces of my actual life with Byakuya that I do not remember."

"But they'll come back," Rukia assured, smiling.

* * *

"What are you saying, Uryuu?" Chad asked, Uryuu's revelation echoing in his mind. He could sense something off about Kurotsuchi, but he always got a weird vibe from the freaky scientist.

"I don't believe this is Kurotsuchi," Uryuu declared, "There's a difference in his spiritual pressure than when we last met. Surely you feel it as well, Toshiro."

Hitsugaya closed his eyes. "Yes, but that is due to an experiment Kurotsuchi performed on himself. Squad 12 has been researching cloaking and altering an individual's spiritual pressure for undercover and covert ops missions."

Toru smiled inwardly. The fact that this certain experiment would be undertaken at the same time he impersonated Kurotsuchi was perfect. "Yes, yes, now I must be going. If you want, go see Nemu and leave me to my own busy schedule."

And without another word, he vanished.

"Wait a minute!" Uryuu cried. He whirled around to face Hitsugaya. "Are you absolutely sure? I have never been wrong when it comes to spiritual pressure. And his was completely off."

"Calm down, Uryuu," Rangiku chided, "We've got this in the bag."

"What?"

Hitsugaya sighed. "It's as she said. We realized something was off with Kurotsuchi the very night of the intrusion. The real Kurotsuchi had locked himself in his personal laboratory for the past three weeks. The fact that Captain Commander is requesting his presence means the Secret Corps has pinpointed a possible location of the enemy's hideout."

"There's just one thing," Chad pointed out, "Why is he so excited to see the Captain Commander?"

* * *

Captain Commander sat behind his desk, Jyuushiro and Shunsui standing opposite him. His own lieutenant held attention on his right; Nanao, who always followed Shunsui, stood a step behind him.

"Another has been killed?" Captain Commander asked, "Good. The Secret Corps have narrowed down possible locations for their hideout. Kurotsuchi is on his way as we speak."

"The real Kurotsuchi?" Shunsui asked.

"Of course not. The intruder comes to his doom. I'm glad you two came when you did. I'd prefer not to get involved physically."

Jyuushiro nodded. "Of course."

A soul reaper opened the door. "Captain Commander, Captain Kurotsuchi is here."

"Let him in."

The soul reaper retreated back and Toru, in Kurotsuchi form, filled the doorway. He entered the room, eyeing the other two captains. To set up the bind, he needed to be alone with the Captain Commander. This was going to be difficult.

"Captain Ukitake," Yamamoto said, nodding over to Toru. Jyuushiro moved quickly behind Toru, grabbing his arms. Shunsui flashed over as well, to help if needed.

"What is the meaning of this?" Toru cried, struggling in Jyuushiro's hold. For a sick man, he was quite strong.

"It was clever of you to impersonate Kurotsuchi at a time when he would be absent," Yamamoto began, "The only flaw is that the real Kurotsuchi has been monitoring his sessions and sending daily reports. He is not one to leave his work unattended to stop intruders so we found it hard to believe he was amongst the group moving to intercept such an intruder."

Toru berated himself for this folly. He stopped moving, hanging his head. Then, he began to laugh. His form slowly melted into his natural appearance.

"Bravo, it seems I underestimated you soul reapers," he stated, looking up at Yamamoto. He needed only to place his charmed hand on Yamamoto's being, just one little touch. "Quite a challenge I have before me. Did you know once I transform, I can imitate the person's abilities?"

Toru opened his mouth and exhaled. Gaseous fumes, similar to Kurotsuchi's zanpakto's own poison, spewed from his mouth, enveloping Shunsui and Jyuushiro. Toru ripped out of Jyuushiro's grasp. Jyuushiro fell to his knees, the gas causing one of his fits. Shunsui grabbed at Toru, despite the foggy air blurring his vision. He had hold of his arm and yanked him towards him. When Nanao came into focus, her arm in his grasp, Shunsui shook his head in confusion.

"Nanao?" he wondered.

"Captain!" Shunsui swiveled to his right to see Nanao hauling an even paler Jyuushiro out of the cloud. He turned back to meet the look alike, wearing a cruel smile on his Nanao's face. A shot of kido that Nanao was so talented with knocked him half way across the room.

Toru retained his original form as the Captain Commander's lieutenant came charging into the fray. He let loose another stream of gas, widening the cloud and halting the lieutenant's actions. He pushed the lieutenant further into the gas and took his form. When he exited the cloud, he coughed and made a show of the person he now imitated. He looked over Yamamoto, standing now and prepared to intervene.

Toru instinctively circled the cloud, getting closer to Yamamoto as he went. He launched himself to the Captain Commander, his hand outstretched. Yamamoto grabbed Toru's hand in midair, unknowingly allowing the charm to flow from Toru and into him. Toru smiled, yanking his arm away.

A large blast caught Toru in his shoulder and hurled him against the opposite wall and then out, leaving a gaping hole. Toru crashed to the ground along with the debris. He held his shoulder as he stood up. A young soul reaper came running towards him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, looking at his soul reaper clothing.

"Just fine," he said, echoing her appearance. "Thank you for the help."

The soul reaper was shocked by his transformation and didn't react fast enough to protect herself. Toru knocked her unconscious and tied and hid her in a store house nearby. He then quickly moved to get away from the area.

The spell was now in place. Their plan's final step could now begin.

**A/N: I wish to apologize to my tardiness. List of excuses: midterms, two papers, computer malfunction, busy schedule, etc… This chapter's short compared to the others, but I wanted to get one out before spring break. Thanks so much for the reviews! d^-^b**


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach**

Chapter Nine

"It is done, my Lord," Kyoko stated, "Toru has placed the charm on Yamamoto."

Raiden smiled sinisterly. "I know. I can feel it."

The trio stood upon Sokyoku hill, watching the scramble of soul reapers below. An unknown, female soul reaper appeared on the hill beside them. Emi and Kyoko gazed at the being with disinterest. The soul reaper's form warped, elongating and broadening into Toru's own shape.

"Toru, well done," Raiden praised.

Toru bowed humbly, a smirk planted on his face.

"Now it's time to set up the perimeter," Raiden continued, turning to gaze over the surrounding buildings. "The drainage will begin shortly, putting the most powerful soul reaper out of commission as I gain his power. The spiritual awakening of Sokyoku will only come to be once we're in Hueco Mundo. Get to it."

Toru vanished after another curt bow, followed by Emi and Kyoko.

"There's someone I want to meet after all this time." Raiden's eyes fixated on the sixth squad's barracks.

* * *

"He's not there," Uryuu revealed, flashing back into the room. "His spiritual pressure faded almost instantly, replaced by another's, but I was unable to trace it."

Hitsugaya sighed heavily. "It seems Chad's release hadn't stopped him as we wished. The intruder's plan was successful."

His eyes wandered to Unohana examining the Captain Commander's arm where he had been touched. Yamamoto had yet to show any signs of whether the markings were affecting him.

"These symbols are similar to Hisana's, but different at the same time," Unohana announced, "I doubt my abilities would help. However Orihime may be of use since she healed Hisana."

"Do you think Orihime is ready to take on such a feat so soon?" Uryuu asked with concern. "Healing Hisana had drained Orihime and she has hardly had any time to recover."

"Then, I shall see about healing Orihime's spiritual pressure," Unohana decided, "And give her some of my strength. The sooner we remove these markings, the better."

Uryuu nodded grimly. He froze, his eyes widening in shock. High, concentrated spiritual pressure abruptly appeared in several vicinities all at once. "Do you sense that?"

Jyuushiro agreed. "What's hap…?"

Before he could finish his sentence, the markings on Yamamoto's arm glowed red. Flames shot out, surrounding Yamamoto's form. The red glow absorbed the flames hungrily. Yamamoto's eyes rolled into his head and he collapsed.

"Yama-jii!" Shunsui exclaimed. He and Jyuushiro rushed to Yamamoto's side. The markings remained a glowing red, but the flames had gone out. Unohana was examining Yamamoto's condition.

"He's in a coma-like state," she declared. Her face paled in horror. "His…his power was…drained."

The last word was little more than a whisper. The sight of the great Captain Commander, the most powerful of them all, incapacitated and helpless was unsettling.

"Is there anything we can do?" Jyuushiro asked, "Any thoughts? Anyone?"

"We could still get Orihime," Rangiku suggested.

Unohana shook her head. "It's too late. It worked with Hisana because Hisana was helping Orihime subconsciously. Yamamoto wouldn't be able to help. He is most likely in his inner world to protect himself."

"What about a barrier?" Chad asked, "Surely, he has protections within his inner world. What if an outside layering could ward off or at least delay any draining."

"That's a good idea," Jyuushiro said. He faced Shunsui. "We should be the ones to perform and maintain it. Nanao, Chad, and Rangiku, would you mind helping protect us?

Chad and Nanao immediately shook their heads. Rangiku looked to Hitsugaya inquisitively. Hitsugaya met her eyes and nodded briefly. Rangiku then agreed.

"Uryuu and I will return and tell the others," Hitsugaya stated. He vanished quickly. Uryuu met Chad's eyes, and then followed in Hitsugaya's wake.

"Let's get to it," Shunsui commanded, removing his pink haori and hat.

* * *

The sun had finally set on that eventful day. Byakuya stood outside Hisana's room, vaguely listening as Hisana and Rukia teased with each other. When he had left earlier, he had hastened to the Secret Corps in order to find Raiden's hideout. It was by chance that he found Soi Fon preparing to take out the enemies. He tagged along despite Soi Fon's protests and the even louder blubberings of her lieutenant. The building held no significance and rested in the heart of Rukon district. Byakuya could sense that the building had been abandoned, but he still proceeded into it.

Two particular rooms caught his attention: the office and a bedroom with a large, gaping hole in the wall. The office was empty, faint traces of spiritual pressure lingering. One particular spiritual pressure struck a familiar tone in his memory, but he couldn't place what it was or where he had met it. The bedroom bore evidence of Hisana's presence. A wavering outline of Hisana's spiritual pressure surrounded the edging of the hole. Byakuya placed his hand on the edging, the red glow leaping to him and coating his hand in its warmth. It seemed to have awakened at his touch. It was warm and gave him a sense of sadness.

He had returned just minutes ago, but had yet to face Hisana after leaving so coldly. He prided in his self control and the noble air he exuded. But with Hisana, he was losing his calm. It took every inch of his will not to show how troubled and furious he was of how Hisana had been treated. And her presence brought back every emotion he had ever felt towards her, including when she had died. He was confused and his heart had already decided to accept her back without hesitation. He remained lost in thought when the sliding doors opened.

"So you're back," Ichigo commented, closing the doors behind him. Hisana's laughter rang out, muffled slightly by the paper doors. "She seems to be doing better. But she still looks unhealthy and troubled. The absence of her memories is bothering her more than she lets on."

Byakuya kept quiet, hardly acknowledging Ichigo's presence. His recklessness and temper irritated Byakuya, reminding him of how he was when he was a kid.

Ichigo looked over at Byakuya and saw his jaw clench. "Maybe you could share the memories you experienced together."

Byakuya turned a blank face towards him, yet his eyes were alight with annoyance. Ichigo smirked openly at his reaction. Finally, he was showing some emotion.

"It's just a suggestion," Ichigo commented, shrugging his shoulders and gazing off at the darkened sky. A dark figure appeared opposite them in the shadows. Ichigo blinked and watched the figure shoot a stream of flame in his direction.

"Watch out!" Ichigo cried, jumping to the side. He collided with Byakuya as he avoided the flames. The wood of the buildings around began to ignite in increasing numbers. Several medical soul reapers came running out, working to put out the flames. The figure flashed on top of the barracks.

Ichigo ignored the figure and rushed to get Hisana and Rukia out. His gaze met Byakuya's briefly and an understanding passed between them. Hisana and Rukia stumbled outside. Byakuya looked at Hisana, finding her eyes already on him, then rushed after the figure as he ran along the rooftops.

Hisana watched Byakuya chase after the figure on the roof. She recognized him immediately, his brown hair gleaming in the moonlight and his black eyes staring hungrily at her. She cringed away before Ichigo plucked her off the ground and flashed out of the courtyard.

Ichigo landed outside the barracks, meeting Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Hisagi as they came running. Rukia appeared beside him with Hanatoro and Orihime.

"What happened?" Renji asked, stopping in front of Ichigo. The others immediately set to work, putting out flames.

Ichigo set Hisana down. "Another stranger. He shot the flames at me and Byakuya, setting fire to the entire barracks."

Renji scowled. "And Captain?"

Ichigo just stared at him. Renji swore loudly. "You just let him run off by himself?"

"So?" Ichigo returned Renji's cold stare.

"Listen, I know better than anyone that Captain can handle himself." Renji's eyes wandered to Hisana, then back to Ichigo. "But I'm not sure how he'll react in this situation."

Ichigo's face darkened. He faced Hisana, caught up in a tight hug with Orihime. Then he remembered Byakuya's actions throughout the day. "You're right. His actions are unpredictable at this point."

Renji nodded.

"But," Ichigo continued, "If anything, his will and determination will only be strengthened by Hisana's presence. Fighting to protect a loved one outweighs fighting out of a sense of duty and honor. Remember his past battles when it was Rukia in trouble?"

"Yeah," Renji sighed, "Did you hear what happened to the Captain Commander?"

Ichigo's brows furrowed with confusion.

"That's a 'no'. The original intruder had placed the same type of markings that were on Hisana on Captain Commander. Now he's in a coma and the markings are draining his powers."

"What!" Ichigo exclaimed. Ichigo's reaction drew the others' attention and they gathered near Renji.

"Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake have placed a barrier around him, but nothing has changed in Captain Commander's condition."

Ichigo absorbed Renji's explanation numbly. If their enemies were able to take out Gramps, this was bound to be an interesting and difficult task of elimination. The scurrying soul reapers smothered the flames within minutes. The damage on the squad four barracks was minimal, but still required refurbishing. About twenty minutes later, Uryuu and Hitsugaya appeared.

"Ichigo!" Uryuu cried, "We have an important report."

Ichigo looked at the two and replied, "I know. Renji told us."

Hitsugaya nodded, then peered around at the charred buildings. "What happened here?"

"Another of our enemies," Rukia answered, her arm hugging a weary Hisana. She looked up at Hisana, noting the worry and sadness in her eyes. "I'm taking Hisana home. She needs to sleep."

Ichigo nodded. "I'll stay and help here."

"Okay," Rukia agreed, "I'll have a room prepared for you, Chad, and Uryuu. Orihime, would you help me?"

Orihime nodded, her own eyes filled with concern for Hisana. She hugged Uryuu, feeling him place a small kiss on her head. She smiled at his action and hastened along after Rukia and Hisana.

"I hope for Hisana's sake Byakuya returns unharmed," Uryuu commented.

* * *

Byakuya pursued his opponent effortlessly. Instead of weaving around, trying to lose Byakuya, the man continued in a straight line. He halted once they reached a small opening in the forest. The man stood silent with his back to Byakuya. Byakuya kept a safe distance between them.

"Who are you?" he asked coldly. The man turned slowly. He wore a Chinese style shirt, done up the front, and baggy canvas pants. He had on the traditional sandals and socks. Byakuya noted the two scars on his face.

"I've no doubt you don't know my face," he began, "But you know my name: Raiden."

He smirked at Byakuya, relishing in the power he held over him. Byakuya remained unmoved by Raiden's admonition.

"You caused me great harm fifty years ago, stealing Hisana and destroying my plans, but revenge is finally mine."

Byakuya narrowed his eyes slightly; the corners of his mouth tweaking upwards in a superior, humorless grin. "You speak as if you know me. Though it is a waste to dissuade you from your actions, I had no hand in what happened fifty years ago." His features darkened. "However, I will protect what is mine."

Raiden grounded his teeth at Byakuya's implications. He believed he had already won, but he was wrong. He couldn't fathom the differences between his and Raiden's power.

"Hisana is not yours!" Raiden cried angrily. His black eyes flared red, flames engulfing his being for a brief second. Raiden closed his eyes, his breaths coming in a slow and calming rhythm.

Unfazed, Byakuya stared at Raiden. He slipped back into his nonchalant and cold demeanor as Raiden's flames cooled.

Raiden opened his eyes, black once more yet vivid with hatred. "A brief demonstration of my abilities will suffice to show how insignificant you are."

Flames appeared once more in his hands. He shot the flames on either side of Byakuya, encircling him. Byakuya watched calmly, prepared with a kido spell if need be. The flames burned high, above Byakuya's head. He heard Raiden's laugh over the roaring of the burning ground.

"The fire will continue, burning the oxygen you breathe," he called, his voice growing distant. "I hope you do not die from asphyxiation. Next we meet, only one will survive."

Raiden's spiritual pressure disappeared, save the circle of flames surrounding Byakuya. The flames had grown steadily higher, creating a vortex above him. The temperature within was scorching. Ashe fell all around him, dirtying his captain haori and leaving smudges on his face. True to Raiden's words, it was becoming harder to breathe.

Byakuya withdrew Senbonzakura, placing it in front of him. "Scatter, Senbonzakura."

The sakura-like blades swirled around him. He raised his hand, sending the blades careening into the flames. The petals blasted through the fire, but the hole closed quickly. Byakuya refused to use his full ability for such a task and kept blasting holes, weakening the fire's hold. Raiden had obviously only meant for the flames to rage for a few hours, not anticipating Byakuya's own attempts to free himself. It took less than a half hour to finally break the flames. Byakuya emerged, sheathing Senbonzakura once more. The moon was high overhead, indicating it was past midnight.

Instead of heading straight to his mansion, Byakuya headed to speak with Jyuushiro and Shunsui. Raiden's flames held a peculiar resemblance to Captain Commander Yamamoto's.

* * *

_Hisana awoke in a field, the sky dark and foggy. It seemed to be snowing until she took a closer look. Ashe fell softly around her, coating the ground. She gazed down at the torn kimono she was wearing, wondering where she was. She stood up and wandered around. Walking too far in one direction caused the fog become so thick that Hisana couldn't breathe and she retreated back to where she had been._

"_Hello?" she called. The unsettling quiet of this place was creeping her out. A dark shadow appeared before her in the fog, walking straight towards her. It staggered along slowly, turning into the form of a man as it drew closer._

"_Who are you?" Hisana asked. The man didn't speak. As he approached, Hisana was able to make out the soul reaper uniform he was wearing. His hair was black and long, covering his face. He stopped a few feet from Hisana. Hisana's eyes widened in horror as he fell to his knees; a pale green scarf falling off his neck and floating to the ground._

"_Byakuya!" Hisana kneeled in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulder to keep him from falling. Half of his face was covered in blood. His arm was cut and bleeding; a large, red blotch staining the front of his uniform. "Byakuya, what happened?"_

_He didn't say a word, slouching forward. His head rested on her shoulder. Hisana fought the tears that threatened to fall and hugged him to her._

"_Someone help!" she cried, "Please!"_

_Byakuya's breathing was so shallow, she could barely feel his chest rising. It took most of her strength to lay him down on his back. She tore the hemline of her kimono and bandaged his bleeding arm. He had a gash on his head at the hairline, but it had stopped bleeding. Hisana stared at the splotch across his chest, terrified to see how bad his injuries really were. She pulled the torn top open, revealing a deep, long cut running from his right shoulder across his chest ending just below the left of his ribcage. It was bleeding profusely. The tears fell, Hisana struggling to wipe them away as she fashioned a makeshift bandage out of his top. His eyes were closed, but he was still breathing._

_Hisana peered around the fog, pondering over what to do. Another shadow formed, approaching at a leisurely pace. Hisana didn't have to wait to see who it was. She knew, deep in her gut._

_Raiden's cruel gaze fell on Byakuya lying beside her as he halted. He faced Hisana, smiling triumphantly. "This was inevitable. You can't run from me."_

_He moved closer. Hisana hurried to place herself between him and Byakuya. She wiped her face, trying to remove the tear streaks. Raiden smiled mockingly at her actions._

"_You can't stop me," he continued, stepping closer. A blade appeared in his hands as he advanced. Hisana didn't know what to do. She doubted she could fend him off, especially after what he had done to Byakuya. Still she let the energy flow into her hands. She could at least keep him away from Byakuya._

_Raiden chuckled. He eyed the scars on her right arm, which glowed from her release. "Seems you were able to stop my poison. But the curse has yet to be broken."_

_Hisana blinked in confusion._

"_You won't be the only one to suffer for your past," Raiden stated, gazing behind her. Hisana hesitantly turned, keeping Raiden in her peripheral, and looked behind her. Several bodies lay scattered along the ground near Byakuya._

_Hisana froze. Raiden's voice whispered softly in her ear, his chin resting on her shoulder. "Your friends."_

_Hisana gasped as the fog disappeared, the bright sky lighting the meadow. Rukia lay lifeless closest to Byakuya. Her glazed eyes seemed to be staring at Hisana. Ichigo was facedown, his arm outstretched towards Rukia. Chad was curled on his side, unmoving. Uryuu was on his back, Orihime draped across his chest. Her eyes were closed, making it seem as if she were sleeping. The soul reapers Hisana had met were strewn about in piles around them._

_Hisana's gaze fell back to Byakuya. He was no longer breathing. His eyes were hooded, gazing up at the sky. Tears fell anew. Raiden encircled an arm around her, pulling her close to him._

"_There's nothing you can do," he whispered, his lips brushing her neck._

"_No!" Hisana cried, pushing him away. She released a wave of her power, knocking him back. He vanished midair and Hisana was enveloped in white light. The bodies of her loved ones disappearing. Byakuya's scarf floated into view and Hisana grabbed it. She hugged it to her, openly sobbing._

* * *

Hisana bolted awake, sitting up. She was clinging to her covers. Strands of hair clung to her face, damp with perspiration. The sun was shining brightly outside. The futon beside her was empty, the covers made. She had shared a room with Rukia last night and, with the dream she had just had, she was worried. What if something had happened while she slept?

_Had Byakuya returned?_ she thought. She slid open the paper doors leading outside. A young woman in a plain kimono stood outside, a tray in her hands.

"Oh, good afternoon," she said cheerfully. She bowed, a smile spreading across her face.

"Good afternoon," Hisana returned, bowing as well. The woman was surprised by Hisana's actions but continued smiling brightly.

"I've brought lunch if you're hungry," she offered, indicating the tray she held. Hisana nodded enthusiastically, her stomach grumbling in anticipation. "If you wish, you may eat outside. Then, we can provide a bath and change of clothes."

"Oh, thank you," Hisana breathed in relief. Her hair needed washing terribly and she feared she was beginning to reek after sweating so much. "What's your name?"

"Hina, my lady," the woman replied.

Hisana was taken back by her formality. "Hina, you can call me Hisana."

Hina shook her head. "That is improper."

"I insist. I am of no rank to be called such."

Hina didn't say anything. She turned and placed the tray on a small table. Hisana followed and sat upon the cushions available. Hina left Hisana to eat alone.

Hisana ate silently, staring at her food. Her mind kept wandering to her dream. She could still feel Raiden's touch and it made her sick.

It seemed as if Hina was waiting for her to finish as she reappeared once Hisana had eaten the last bite. She took the tray and showed Hisana the way to a bathing spring. The sling bag Orihime had brought her rested on a rock along with a towel. Hina handed Hisana a bar of soap and left quietly after Hisana thanked her.

Hisana took her time, washing her hair and body, and then soaking in the warm water. It was peaceful and she didn't want to leave. At long last, she got out, drying off and dressing in a purple dress. She found a mirror placed in the corner away from the water and sat before it, drying her hair. Instead of putting it up, she let her hair hang loose.

When she exited the room, a small, fair-haired boy collided into her. Hisana automatically grabbed him so he wouldn't fall back. The top of his head came to a little above her belly button. His hands grasped the sides of her dress as he looked up bashfully. Hisana smiled warmly.

"What a handsome man!" she exclaimed, ruffling his hair. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"Kenji," he replied softly. He had perked up at her appraisal, pleased at being called a man. "I'm nine."

"I'm Hisana."

"Kenji! Mommy wants us!"

A young, dark-haired girl appeared. She stopped abruptly, seeing Hisana. Her brown eyes widened briefly before she began reprimanding her brother. "Kenji, what did you do?"

Hisana laughed at Kenji's apparent disapproval of his youngest sister scolding him. The two shared the same eyes so Hisana figured they were related. Kenji stuck his tongue out at his sister and clung to Hisana.

"I didn't do anything," he said, "I'm just talking with my friend Hisana."

The girl looked up at Hisana.

Hisana smiled. She lifted one hand to the girl. "I'm Hisana. What's your name?"

The girl eyed Hisana's hand before placing her own in it. "Tsubaki. I'm six."

Hisana's smile widened and Tsubaki responded with her own.

"Kenji! Tsubaki!"

Hina came into view then. She hesitated seeing her son clinging to Hisana and her daughter holding hands with her as well.

Kenji recovered first. "Mommy, this is Hisana."

Tsubaki nodded in agreement. "Can we play for a little while?"

Hina met Hisana's gaze before complying. "Only if Lady Hisana doesn't mind."

The kids cheered and Hisana found herself deeply thrilled at the prospect. It would take her mind off her own problems.

"I have chores to finish, but if you need me, I'll be in the kitchen," Hina said, waving as her children dragged Hisana off. Hisana nodded before giving her full attention to the duo.

* * *

Rukia and Ichigo had just returned to her home after a long morning helping with the rebuild of the squad 4 buildings that were burned. Uryuu had decided to check up on Chad and Orihime tagged along. She had yet to see her brother, but she knew he was okay. Unohana had seen him earlier, uninjured.

Ichigo sighed loudly. "Lunch sounds great right now."

Rukia nodded. She paused as Byakuya exited his room ahead of them. Ichigo was unfazed and hurried to speak with him.

"Yo, Byakuya. What happened?"

Byakuya gave him the usual "why-are-you-bothering-me" stare before continuing on his way. Rukia caught up to the two just as Renji appeared.

"Captain," Renji said, as a greeting. He turned and nodded to Ichigo and Rukia.

Ichigo nodded back as Rukia said, "Hey, Renji."

"There hasn't been any changes in Captain Commander's condition," Renji reported, "It seems as if Captain Ukitake and Captain Kyoraku's barrier is working. Also, our enemy has yet to move. It's been relatively calm this morning."

"This should give us an opportunity to figure out what's going to happen next," Ichigo commented, scratching the back of his head.

A commotion drew their attention as two kids, a boy and girl, raced out of the mansion in front of the group and into the courtyard.

"What the…?" Renji began, "When did the Captain have kids?"

Byakuya and Rukia turned a cold stare on Renji. Ichigo covered a laugh with a cough. He moved away, almost colliding with Hisana as she ran by him.

"Watch out!" she cried, streaking past the group. They watched as she caught the girl in her arms and twirled her around. "I got you!"

The boy came racing up to free his sister and ended up becoming Hisana's prisoner as well. A servant exited out the same room, in the midst of Rukia, Ichigo, Renji, and Byakuya, laughing. Her merriment faltered when she saw Byakuya.

"Kenji! Tsubaki! It's time to go!" she called, following the twirling trio. The kids pouted, asking for five more minutes. Hisana's expression mirrored the children's. Hina caught her gaze as she pointed her head in Byakuya's direction. Hisana looked over at Byakuya and saw a look of longing and sadness in his eyes before his mask covered it. Hisana nodded to Hina. She bent down, kissing Kenji and Tsubaki's cheeks and hugging them.

"Come again, okay?" she told them. Kenji was putting on a brave face as Tsubaki's remained sad. "We'll play some more."

"Okay," they agreed together. Hina took each of their hands and headed back into the building.

The time Hisana spent with those two had distracted her, but now, the dream came back into the forefront of her mind. She trotted over to the others, smiling.

"Hi!" she called cheerfully.

"Hey," Rukia said, returning a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

Hisana faltered, deciding whether to tell them. "Somewhat. I feel rested though."

"That's good."

"Bad dream," Ichigo offered, his gaze meeting Hisana's.

"Sheesh, you're perceptive," Hisana complained, "I can't keep anything from you."

Ichigo grinned. "Nope."

Byakuya moved past Ichigo and headed to the table prepared for his lunch. He didn't say a word. Seeing Hisana with those children had brought up the dreams he had once shared with her. He was still unsure of how to continue on with this Hisana. He was treading on unsteady ground when it came to her.

Hisana watched him go. A part of her was tired of waiting to be acknowledged by him while the rest understood what he was going through. Rukia caught Hisana and Byakuya's moods and decided to force the two together.

"Renji, Ichigo, let's go see Hitsugaya," Rukia commanded, grabbing Ichigo's hand and heading away.

"But… what about lunch?" Renji asked, his eyes wandering sadly over to the food on the table.

Rukia grasped a handful of his robes and pulled him along. "We'll eat with Hitsugaya."

Hisana hesitated. "Should I follow? I've already eaten though."

Rukia turned around, pushing the guys ahead of her. "No, no. Stay and relax some more. Have a nice chat."

Hisana blinked as Rukia winked at her and Ichigo smiled in understanding. Ichigo mouthed good luck and willing allowed Rukia to lead him away.

Hisana gulped, turning to look at Byakuya as he ate. His full attention was on his meal so he didn't raise his head when Hisana sat beside him at the table. When he looked up, he caught Hisana staring at him with worry.

"Are you okay?" she asked, thinking of his previous encounter with Raiden. Byakuya grasped her implications.

"I am well," he replied, lifting his cup and sipping his tea.

Hisana smiled. "Of course."

Byakuya looked at her. "Would you like some?"

"Oh, no thanks," Hisana said, "I've already eaten. Thanks to your hospitality."

"I didn't know you would be staying here," he stated, returning to his meal. "It must have been Rukia."

Hisana nodded, a little disappointed. "Hina, the young woman with the kids, was very helpful." Hisana chuckled. "She even called me 'Lady Hisana'."

Byakuya froze and Hisana immediately regretted what she said. If she had any hope of being with him after all of this, she was going to have to take charge.

"Okay, serious talk," she began, "I've been thinking. Although I haven't regained all of my memories, the ones I have regained are of our life together. I don't know what to do after this whole ordeal is finished. I am no longer alive so I can't return to the living world."

"There is always the academy," Byakuya offered. He knew where this conversation was heading, but he wasn't going to confuse her more. Just because she's regained her memories of him doesn't mean she feels the same way.

Hisana exhaled in irritation. Byakuya looked at her in surprise. She was tired of this chase back and forth. She took a deep breath and plunged. "I want to be with you."

She squeezed her eyes shut, scared of what he would say. While she wanted him to still have feelings for her, she hoped he hadn't suffered all these years over her. She waited for his reply, trembling. Her trembling grew, knocking her over. Her eyes popped open to see the entire building and grounds shaking. The dishes on the table crashed to the floor. Byakuya acted quickly, grasping her around her waist and lifting her off the ground. Screams sounded from within the compound and workers came rushing out of the building. A wall of red energy shot up into the air, encircling a large portion of the Seireitei.

Byakuya's arm tightened around her. Despite the turmoil unfolding around them, Hisana felt safe near him. The memory of Raiden's touch in her dream was singed away by Byakuya's hold. Hisana twisted slightly in order wrap her arms around his neck. He looked down at her as she did this and she blushed, turning her head away. Byakuya decided to move, flash-stepping to where he felt Ichigo's spiritual pressure.

* * *

Ichigo, Rukia, and Renji had just arrived squad 10's office when the trembling began. Hitsugaya raced outside and they followed. A bunch of soul reapers gathered together. Captain Zaraki was in the midst of the group, his sidekicks beside him.

"Kenpachi!" Ichigo called, "What's going on?"

"Does it look like I know?" Zaraki hollered back. He smiled crookedly. "But it looks like something fun."

Ikkaku nodded, nonchalant about the chaos around them. Yumichika flipped his hair, smirking femininely.

"How can you be so calm?" Renji asked.

Rukia lost her footing and fell into Ichigo. Ichigo was quick to keep her from falling, but he wasn't able to stop Renji from knocking into him. The two of them went down, Ichigo holding Rukia up despite his predicament.

Yumichika chuckled at their actions.

The sky was beginning to crack, as if a garganta was forming. Then a red, transparent wall appeared, surrounding them. The trembling got worse as Byakuya flashed beside them. Hisana was held tightly in his arms, her eyes fixated on the sky.

"Why's the sky like that?" she asked fearfully. A large hole broke through the sky above Sokyoku hill. Four figures stood upon the hill. Hisana pointed up to them. "It's Raiden."

Everyone's gaze followed Hisana's, staring up as Raiden raised his arm. A creature came crashing through the hole above him. It landed beside him and snarled down at the soul reapers in the yard.

Its body resembled a four-legged beast. Flames sprouted from each paw and its tail. It wore a white mask, similar to a hollow's, shaped like a fox's. It towered over Raiden.

The sky continued to crumble, revealing a black void. The red wall extended, creating an orb around the area. With one final heave, the orb began drifting into the void.

Hisana gasped as the pain in her arm returned. The markings glowed red. She cringed, hugging her arm between her body and Byakuya's. She looked over at Raiden, meeting his gaze.

He had been right. The curse wasn't over.

**A/N: Btw, transferring from a community college to a four-year sucks. But I have hit a spark of creativity and I wanted to finish this story before I graduate. Thanks to all of my reviewers. You guys are AWESOME! d^_^b**


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

Chapter Ten

The pain in Hisana's arm pulsated as she struggled to remain calm. Raiden and his minions had disappeared, leaving the soul reapers to their chaotic actions. Hitsugaya, Renji, Byakuya, and Ichigo were gathering soul reapers in groups, organizing them. Rukia had gone off to help search the debris for any survivors.

There were about two hundred soul reapers, excluding five captains and seven lieutenants, trapped within the orb. The orb seemed to be floating midair, not really moving anymore. Hisana could see lights in the sky past the red wall and assumed they were stars.

Hisana sat beside Hanatoro as he bandaged and healed injured soul reapers. She pondered over what Raiden had said in her dream. The poison was gone, but how does she break the curse? The markings dug into her arm, tearing the skin in three areas. Hisana asked for a bandage from Hanatoro and wrapped her arm. Byakuya had heard her exhalation after the pain started again, but he didn't say anything, which confused Hisana even more. He never commented on their previous conversation and it felt as if Hisana's moment of bravery was wasted. She found it more difficult to convey her feelings than solving how to get rid of the curse. Even though the curse will kill her.

It was possible that the curse would be annulled if Raiden was killed, but she didn't think that was it. If he died, he would definitely want her to join him. She wish she could remember her past with Raiden so that she could understand this love/hate feeling he has for her. She was tired of this whole thing. It made her head hurt.

"Hisana," Hanatoro said, looking over at her with his hands securing a wrapping. "Would you refill the water bucket? I've run out."

Hisana smiled, shaking the thoughts from her head. "Sure."

Maybe mindless tasks would keep her from worrying. She grabbed the bucket and hauled it over to a well across the yard. She passed the organized soul reapers standing in ranks. Hollows apparently had appeared on the outskirts of the red dome. It was only a matter of time before the wall fell and the hollows attacked. Hisana had never seen so many and so huge, too. Ichigo told her that they could handle any type of hollow, trying to reassure her. It didn't work. Sure, the captains and higher ranks could handle those 'Menos Grandes', but what about the lower ranks and those who didn't have any powers to protect them?

Hisana sighed. She was one to talk. Even though she did have some powers, it seemed as if she were some fragile creature who couldn't take care of herself and relied on others to protect her. She really hated being weak, but her abilities paled in comparison to everyone else's. All she could do was throw energy balls and short waves. She couldn't even move fast like the rest.

_After this is over,_ she thought, _I'll never be this weak again_.

She filled the bucket and returned quickly to Hanatoro. He thanked her, placing the bucket beside him and continued with his work.

"Hanatoro?"

He looked up at Hisana, still standing and nervously playing with her hands.

"Could you…," she began, "Teach me how to…to fight?"

Hanatoro's mind went blank. Why was she asking him? He was not a fighter.

"Ah, Hisana, I'm sorry," he apologized, "I'm not a suitable teacher when it comes to fighting."

"Hisana Kuchiki!"

Hisana's head shot up, oblivious to being called 'Kuchiki'. A woman with dark skin and violet hair loomed over Hisana, her arms folded across her chest. Her golden eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Yoruichi!" Hanatoro exclaimed.

The woman smiled, winking at Hanatoro before taking hold of Hisana's arm and pulling her to her feet. Yoruichi began hauling Hisana behind her as she marched off. Hisana resisted halfheartedly, somewhat reluctant to go with this strange woman.

"Yoruichi, what are you doing?"

Hisana sighed in relief. Byakuya would save her. He stood in front of Yoruichi, his eyes looking at Hisana once as he assessed the situation. Yoruichi just smiled playfully, posing in her superior stance in order to toy with Byakuya. It was always so much fun to see him try to keep his cool.

"Nothing really," she replied, "Just some girl talk with your lovely wife."

Hisana's eyes widened. "Wha…? I'm…I'm not…"

Yoruichi merely glanced sideways at Hisana, giving her a knowing look, and silenced whatever words Hisana was trying to say. Hisana closed her mouth and bowed her head to hid her face. And waited for Byakuya to deny it.

"Or should I say 'bride'? Since you'll have to tie the knot again after this is over."

Byakuya was quiet. Yoruichi's comment shocked him. He hadn't yet given any thought to Hisana's previous confession and the happiness it brought. His silence gave Yoruichi the opportunity to escape.

"Don't worry, Byakuya boy," Yoruichi chided, patting Byakuya's shoulder. "She'll be back before you know it and you two can have all the alone time you want."

Hisana's face reddened. Yoruichi released her arm and heaved Hisana over her shoulder. Hisana gasped and immediately began to protest.

"Yoruichi! Wait…! Put me down!" Hisana's cries went ignored as Yoruichi flash stepped away. Byakuya was about to give chase, frustrated with Yoruichi's actions, when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned to see Ichigo, gazing at him intently and shaking his head.

"It's best to let them be," he commented, "Hisana will be safe enough."

Byakuya exhaled a long stream of air and shook Ichigo's hand off his shoulder. Yet he did not go after them, shocking Ichigo. He was actually listening to him! Byakuya turned back to his squadron. There were several points weakening around the wall. Soon, hollows would come pouring in.

* * *

Yoruichi stopped in a small, abandoned courtyard near the base of Sokyoku hill. Hisana had stopped wiggling when Yoruichi moved, holding tight, but now she renewed her efforts. Yoruichi chuckled as she set the small woman down.

"You have much more fight in you now," Yoruichi stated, "According to what I've heard, you were rather weak in your previous life."

Hisana scowled. "I know, I know. I was a pathetic, weak, insignificant, little creature who didn't deserve to be married to such a great man. Blah, blah, blah. I don't want to hear it. I'm tired of being compared to my previous self. I especially don't want to be looked down upon."

"And you won't," Yoruichi said.

Hisana reeled back in confusion. "Huh?"

"You want to be stronger, then I will teach you," Yoruichi explained, "Prepare yourself. This won't be easy."

* * *

"I believe that's the last of them," Hisagi stated, dropping the portion of debris he held. Yumichika and Ikkaku let go of their ends as well and the collapsed roof landed with a loud crash. Rukia held onto the young girl they had pulled from the wreckage. She was bruised and crying, but there were no major injuries that Rukia could see.

"I'm going to take her to Hanatoro," Rukia decided, walking away. The girl clung to her, sobbing for her mother. Rukia rubbed the girl's back, adding some comfort to the girl's distress.

Hanatoro had remained where he was, treating the wounded, but Hisana was no longer with him. Rukia's brows furrowed in puzzlement.

"Hanatoro, where's Hisana?" she asked, kneeling beside him. She turned the girl, facing her towards Hanatoro. Hanatoro produced a piece of candy from his pack and handed it to the girl. She gladly accepted it and busied herself with it as Hanatoro began checking for any internal wounds.

"Hmm, she's going to be sore from the bruising, but there isn't any internal bleeding and nothing's broken," Hanatoro concluded. He smiled kindly and gave her another candy. "Yoruichi took Hisana with her. I don't know where. Captain Kuchiki stopped them briefly, but then Yoruichi disappeared. Ichigo stopped the captain from pursuing."

"Eh? And he listened to Ichigo!" Rukia exclaimed.

Hanatoro nodded, turning back to his patients. Hisana took the girl with her to find Ichigo. The candy had calmed the girl greatly, as well as Hanatoro's healing ability, but she still clung to Rukia like her life depended on it. The girl was familiar to Rukia; she just couldn't place where she had seen her.

"What's your name?" she asked, "Do you know where your parents are?"

The little girl looked up, her big, brown eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Tsubaki. Daddy was working in the fields. I was separated from Mommy and Big Brother by the red wall."

"Then they are still in Soul Society," Rukia concluded, adjusting Tsubaki's weight. "Don't worry. I'm sure your family is alright and worried about you. I promise to keep you safe, okay?"

Tsubaki shook her head in agreement, then rested it against Rukia's shoulder.

Rukia had entered an empty space, debris scattered along the sides of ruined buildings, when she caught sight of a man. His head was covered, but she was able to make out his facial features.

"Ichigo?" she asked. The man smirked and hustled away. "Ichigo!"

Rukia took off after him, weaving further away from the rest of the gathered soul reapers. The man continued to elude her, stopping once they were close to where a portion of the wall was within reach.

"Ichigo?"

He stood with his back to her and threw off his hood. Rukia realized he wasn't Ichigo when her eyes met dark hair instead of the usual orange. It was also longer compared to Ichigo's and tweaked Rukia's memory. She gasped as the man turned, revealing Ichigo's face and blue eyes.

"Kaien?" Rukia breathed, holding Tsubaki closer. Something was definitely off. How was this possible?

His features brightened in a huge grin. "Rukia! Long time no see!"

An overwhelming sense of déjà vu washed over Rukia. It was eerily similar to when she had confronted the arrancar Aaroniero. Her brows furrowed in cold indifference. She wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.

"Aw, no 'welcome back' for your former superior?" he asked, the ridiculous grin still gracing his appearance. At Rukia's silence, he sighed heavily. "I was really hoping this would work out. But at least I got you away from anyone that could help you."

His voice had changed as he spoke. Then Kaien's features melted away and were replaced by another's. His hair was a dark auburn, darker than Orihime's and short and ragged, and his eyes were green. He had no other definitive feature for comment. He wore what looked like a type of military uniform, all in black.

"Am I supposed to be intimidated?" Rukia asked, eyeing him with contempt.

"No," he leered, "But it's going to be hard to fight with a child on your hip."

Rukia glanced down at Tsubaki and saw her whimper at the man's words. She contemplated stashing Tsubaki somewhere.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he commented, folding his hands behind his head and looking relaxed. "Who knows what would happen if you were separated."

Rukia glared at him as her mind wrapped around his meaning. What was she going to do? She couldn't fight properly with a child in her arms. And she couldn't let her go. She had made a promise. Sighing, Rukia made her decision. If possible, she would make her way back to the others.

"Gonna run, huh?" Toru said, watching Rukia flash out of sight. "This should be interesting."

Before giving chase, he turned and punched the side of the wall. A large crack appeared and shot up, creating other hairline fractures as it climbed. The only protection the soul reapers had was now crumbling.

**A/N: I'm currently waiting to pick up my sister at the airport so… I decided to use this opportunity to upload the three chapters I have written now that I have internet. I apologize for the long wait, but I promise more updates to come as the school year is about to begin. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. You guys are great!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Or 'Sleepsong' by Secret Garden.**

Chapter Eleven

The hours seemed to pass slowly as they waited and prepared for the wall to fall. It had been five hours since the incident and Ichigo still had no idea where exactly they were. Hisana was still with Yoruichi, most likely training. Byakuya's already tense composure stiffened by the hour, irritating Ichigo. _I swear he's bipolar,_ Ichigo thought, wiping his forehead.

Though it looked like night outside the dome, it felt as if it was midday within. It was unbearably hot and all Ichigo wanted to do was take a cold shower. Or maybe surround himself in ice. A bell rang in his head as a thought came to him: Rukia had an ice-type zanpakto. He grinned devilishly and decided to hunt down the little midget.

Although his ability to pick up on spiritual pressure was limited, he was tuned sharply with Rukia's. Probably because of their past. She wasn't with Hisagi and the others anymore, but she wasn't alone. And she was far away.

"Crazy woman," he muttered to himself. "Why aren't you near when I need you?"

"Yo, Ichigo!"

Ikkaku's call disrupted Ichigo's thoughts, pausing him in his tracks. Ikkaku and his eternal sidekick Yumichika sauntered over. "Heard anything?"

"Nope," Ichigo replied.

Ikkaku scratched his head. "This is really starting to tick me off. What are they waiting for?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Whatever it is, I don't like it."

"If it were I, I wouldn't give my enemies time to react," Yumichika pointed out, peering intently at his nail beds. "With all this time on our hands, we'll be completely prepared for anything thrown at us."

Ichigo and Ikkaku nodded in agreement. All too quickly, their attention was drawn elsewhere as the event they had been waiting for finally came to fruition.

A loud cracking noise bellowed throughout the dome. Ichigo's eyes shot up to see the wall crumble in large fragments. The pieces fell in great clumps, crashing to the ground and flattening any housings that had been intact. Ikkaku swore loudly, dodging the falling debris. Ichigo managed to sidestep some of the pieces and found his gaze riveted to the sky above him. It was night. His eyes glided down to see the white sands on the horizon.

"Hueco Mundo," he whispered, shocked at the circumstances. Past memories flashed through his mind of when he had first entered Hueco Mundo. Experiences that had broken and defined him.

Shouts rang throughout the air, soul reapers scurrying to meet the incoming foe. Ichigo drew Zangetsu as Renji appeared next to him. He beckoned to Ikkaku and Yumichika who in return swarmed closer.

"We are to protect the injured and ensure Squad Four's healing methods go undisturbed," he commanded, restating the orders given to him by Captain Kuchiki.

"Got it!" Ikkaku cried, whirling around. "Leave it all to me!"

With blade and sheath in hand, he launched himself into the growing crowds of hollows. Yumichika sighed and shook his head in amusement. Blade in hand, he hastened to an opposite end. Renji had Zabimaru drawn and in shikai form in a matter of seconds. His and Ichigo's eyes met, an unspoken understanding passing between them as they began their assault on their enemies.

* * *

Rukia landed in a heap near a crumbled house, Tsubaki safe within her embrace. It was difficult to avoid all of the attacks, but she didn't dare stop. She had to get help.

The dome was breaking and hollows were swarming in. It was taking all of her strength to dodge the man's attacks while protecting Tsubaki.

"Run, run, run," his voice leered. He appeared on the roof of a building across from her. "Not that I'm complaining. I do love a good game of cat and mouse."

A shot of kido flew from his hand, sailing towards the two.

"Bakudo 39: Enkosen!" Rukia prayed the kido shield was strong enough to protect them. The shield caught the blast, but broke apart as well. She needed enough time to perform an incantation. Yet that seemed impossible with this opponent. If only she could place Tsubaki somewhere safe, then she could use her zanpakto.

She hurtled through fallen buildings, using them as a shelter and to obscure his view. She paused in a corner of an upright house. She didn't hear any noises other than the hollows' cries and some distant shouts from soul reapers. Scooting closer to a window, Rukia peered outside. The area before her was all debris, with no standing structures at all. She could see a group of soul reapers in the far off distance, but she was close enough. She worked her way close to an exit, preparing to run as fast as she could.

"Gotcha!"

The wall fell around her as the entire house collapsed. Tsubaki screamed. Rukia covered her with her own body, taking the brunt of the attack.

Toru grinned down at his handy work. Impersonating that lieutenant of Squad 8 was proving a very good idea. He looked over at the soul reapers struggling against the hollows. He scowled at how well they were handling the onslaught. Hollows were evaporating faster than they were coming.

"Damn!" Toru exclaimed, "And here I was hoping to see some soul reapers die. How sad."

"For you."

Toru turned and met a small fist. It collided with his jaw, knocking his head back. Simultaneously, he felt his legs kicked out from under him and he went crashing to the ground. Picking himself up, Toru glared up at his assailant. His eyes widened in shock before his features fell into an amused smirk.

"Why, Hisana! I wasn't expecting you."

Hisana stood on the roof top, silently staring down at Toru. She gazed quickly at where Rukia struggled to get out. Toru followed her gaze.

"Ah, yes. Forgot about her. So can't chat right now. Work to do, y'understand?"

Toru walked towards Rukia, watching as she moved the debris little by little to get free. The little girl was helping, her back to Toru. He reached to grab the girl.

"Tsubaki!" Rukia cried, reaching for the child. Her legs were pinned and she couldn't move. Before Toru could get Tsubaki, a figure flashed in front of them.

Hisana shielded Tsubaki and Rukia, using one of her familiar energy balls to blast Toru away. Her release was much more powerful than they had been in the beginning. This was all thanks to Yoruichi's teachings.

She turned quickly to help free Rukia's legs. Within seconds, the rubble was removed and Rukia was standing beside Hisana.

"So Yoruichi has been training you," Rukia stated, dislodging the dust on her uniform. Hisana nodded and picked up Tsubaki.

"Her family is still in Soul Society."

"Well, at least they're safe," Hisana said, smiling down at Tsubaki. "Do you remember me, Tsubaki?"

"Hisana!" the little girl cried, latching her arms around Hisana's neck. She began to cry anew. "I'm scared!"

"It's okay," Hisana comforted her. Her eyes drifted to where Toru was pulling himself out of the debris he had landed in. "I'll take care of Tsubaki. So you can use your weapon."

Rukia agreed, drawing Sode no Shirayuki.

"You bitches!" he snarled.

Rukia didn't give him time to attack. A horde of hollows had made their way towards them and were anchored menacingly above Toru. She performed her first dance, watching the circle glow around Toru's feet and shoot up. Its range caught Toru and the many hollows above him, entrapping them in the ice. The column then split in several sections and broke into smaller pieces as it landed.

Hisana whistled. "Wow! I hadn't realized a sword could do that."

"Yeah," Rukia said, "A zanpakto is a part of the soul reaper. Each has different characteristics and abilities."

"Are you given these weapons when you train?"

"No, you have to find your own within yourself."

"Hmm, I wonder if I have one," Hisana pondered. Yoruichi had never stated anything about zanpaktos.

Rukia gazed long at her handy work. "Do you think he's dead?"

"I don't know," Hisana admitted, "Let's get back to the others just in case."

"Yeah." Rukia's eyes fell on Hisana's wardrobe. "What happened to your dress?"

Hisana laughed, looking down at the outfit she had on. "Training with Yoruichi caused the dress to be torn in scandalous areas. Sorry. This is what she dressed me in."

"Hmm, it seems like Yoruichi," Rukia decided, noting the midthigh black shorts and white, wraparound top tied across Hisana's waist.

"Huh, she originally wanted me to just wear these shorts and midriff top, but I opted for some more coverage."

"Good choice. Let's go."

The two raced off towards where the majority of the action was taking place. As Rukia passed a chunk of ice, a hand reached out and grabbed her by the neck. Toru's enraged face came into view as he broke away from the iced casing. She had sheathed Sode no Shirayuki and Toru prevented her from drawing it. He yanked the scabbard from her waist and tossed it away.

"Get Tsubaki out of here, Hisana," Rukia commanded, kneeing Toru's gut. His hand loosened around her neck and she pulled away. Her gaze fell on Sode no Shirayuki lying a few meters away.

Toru recovered quickly from Rukia's attack and was preparing to release a kido spell in her face.

"Toru!"

Toru paused, gazing towards Hisana. Rukia scrambled out of his range, heading straight towards her zanpakto.

Hisana hesitated, unsure of what to say. Unconscious words formed in her mind and fell from her lips. "He never acknowledged your feelings, did he, Toru?" Her eyes filled with mock sympathy; her jaw set with intent. "Instead he used them to control you, exploit you, and mercilessly forced you to watch as he groveled after me."

"Shut up! You don't know what you're saying!" Toru's vision turned red. Hisana turned on her heels and sprinted away, using the flash step Yoruichi had taught her. He kept up with her pace, trailing a few steps behind her.

Hisana burst past other soul reapers fighting hollows. She caught sight of Hanatoro beside some patients and headed his way.

"Hanatoro!" she cried. His head jerked up at his name. His eyes widened as Hisana hastily passed Tsubaki to him. "Watch her!"

The exchange took barely three seconds. Toru had stopped in the midst of the crowd, hollows on either side of him, and faced Hisana. He had a terribly cruel grin plastered on his face.

"There was only one thing I disagreed with Raiden," he spat, "And it was you! Bringing you into our group, watching his obvious infatuation with you cloud his mind, and even after all these years, you still influence his decisions. I'm sick of it!"

"Enough!" Hisana cried, "I didn't want this anymore than you. Who would!"

"Stop!" Toru interjected.

Hisana didn't listen. "Raiden's a pathetic man who uses and kills people mercilessly…"

"Shut your mouth!"

"Selfish and cruel. Who would want or love such a person?"

"SHUT UP!" Toru's scream was filled with unrelenting rage. Hisana silenced her words immediately and took a step back. Toru's spiritual pressure leaked out and surrounded him.

"I'll end this, once and for all."

Toru's threat went unfulfilled when a large spray of white snow shot towards him. He didn't react in time and was engulfed within it. Hisana watched the snow solidify into ice, displaying a wide variety of hollows and Toru in the center. Rukia appeared next to her.

"That should do it," she stated, "Are you okay?"

Hisana didn't answer and disappeared. "Wai…Hisana!"

"Rukia!"

Rukia turned to meet Ichigo as he landed before her.

"You alright?" he asked, his eyes full of concern.

Rukia nodded, smiling. "I'm fine." Her smile flipped into a frown of worry. "But Hisana just vanished somewhere. I don't know where she went or what she's going to do."

Ichigo puzzled over Rukia's comment. "How…?"

"Ichigo!" Renji called out, walking steadily to their side. Byakuya trailing behind him with his usual stoic presence. "Rukia, glad to see I didn't have to save your butt."

"That's my line," Rukia commented, her superior 'Kuchiki' look falling into place.

Renji frowned as Ichigo laughed. "You missed all the action. The onslaught of hollows have been diminished and no menos appeared. Your contribution took out the rest. I think we have enough time to recover and treat the wo…"

Renji's sentence was interrupted by the sound of breaking ice. A stream of lightning-like energy blasted through the center of the ice wall, shattering it. The hollows within evaporated into the air. Two figures appeared in the air amidst the plume of dust that was created. One was knocked down, colliding with the ground and skidding to a stop in front of them.

Toru looked up, meeting Rukia's gaze then falling on Byakuya's. His brief scuffle with Hisana had given him an idea. As the others gazed down at him, they saw Hisana's form.

"Hisana?" Rukia questioned.

She moved to help her sister up, but Ichigo stopped her. He didn't meet her confused gaze, his eyes fixated on Hisana. Hisana picked herself up, brushing the dust off her clothes.

"Toru got away," she stated, turning to point in the direction behind her. "I think he went that way. If you hurry, you….unh!"

She chocked, gazing down at the blade protruding through her midsection. She gasped audibly, a trickle of blood running from the side of her mouth. She raised her head, a betrayed expression on her face as she met Byakuya's cool gaze. "Byakuya…"

"You're not Hisana," he replied, withdrawing his blade. Hisana's face twisted into a maniacal smirk before Toru's features took over. His breathing became shallow. He fell back and began dissolving into blue particles, just like Kenta and Masumi.

Rukia watched in horror when Byakuya stabbed Hisana, but as Toru became visible once more, she realized what had happened. Ichigo exhaled loudly.

"This is getting too weird," he commented, rubbing his forehead.

"Aw!"

Everyone looked up, seeing Hisana walking steadily towards them. Her white wraparound was tattered beyond recognition and hanging around her waist. Her remaining cover was a black halter top, revealing her midriff. She held some of the torn material in her hand while she crossed her other arm over her waist to hid her exposed flesh.

"Again!" she exclaimed. "Why does every piece of clothing I wear end up torn within a few hours?"

She dropped the rags, seeing the others staring at her. Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Her free arm joined the other, giving extra coverage.

"Did Toru get away?" she asked, searching the area around her.

"No," Renji replied, nonchalant. "Captain got him."

"Oh, okay," Hisana said, her eyes meeting Byakuya's. "What do we do now?"

"We've got a long enough break to figure out our next move," Ichigo replied, "And our enemies'."

"There's only three of them left," Rukia stated, "Not including that 'pet' of Raiden's."

"I think dealing with those twins should be easy," Ichigo commented, "If they're like the twins we faced a while back. Any ideas at what their abilities are?"

Renji stared at him blankly. Rukia's brows furrowed and Byakuya remained passive. Hisana wasn't paying attention.

Her arm had begun to ache once more and she was getting a headache. It was getting hard to breathe, for some odd reason. Her vision was blurry as well.

"Hisana?" Ichigo's voice seemed miles away. The world spun and Hisana knelt down, holding her head in her hands.

"Hisana?" Rukia's voice was just as distant as Ichigo's. Hisana tried waving them off, she just needed to remain still for a minute. "Hisana, your arm!"

Hisana looked up at Rukia's tone. The bandages on her injured arm was soaked red. She frowned in confusion. She hadn't even felt the marks cut into her. Movement to her left caught her eye and she turned to see Rukia kneeling beside her.

"Renji, go get Hanatoro," Ichigo commanded, gazing down at Hisana. Her arm was covered in blood and her complexion paled in sickly hues. She leaned back, sitting on the ground with Rukia's help.

"I don't understand," Rukia said, "I thought the poison was gone."

Byakuya moved to kneel behind Hisana, allowing her to rest against him. Concern escaped his stoic expression. He moped the sweat from Hisana's forehead with his sleeve.

"I don't know," Ichigo admitted, "Orihime's power should have worked."

"It did," Hisana whispered, "But Raiden's curse is still in effect. He won't let me go."

Hisana turned on her side, clinging onto Byakuya's haori. She was so tired. Byakuya's hand moved from wiping her forehead to stroking her hair. The gesture comforted her and she began to doze.

Hanatoro had arrived, squatting on the opposite side of Rukia. He carefully removed the soaked bandages and examined the cuts.

"The lacerations aren't deep," Hanatoro clarified, his hand glowing as he held it over Hisana's arm. The wounds healed, unresisting to Hanatoro's kido. Even the scars had begun to disappear.

"That's strange," Rukia speculated, "The scars wouldn't heal for Orihime."

"Feels much better," Hisana murmured, snuggling closer to Byakuya. Her freshly bandaged arm rested next to the other, tucked near her chest. "Pretty music."

"Music?" Ichigo questioned, cocking his head to listen. The others did the same, but none could hear anything save the hustle and bustle of soul reapers and wails of hollows.

"Hisana, what music?" Rukia asked, gently shaking Hisana awake.

Hisana's eyes opened widely once then began blinking excessively as she fought to remain conscious. "The lullaby. One I used to sing to you. 'May there always be angels to watch over you. To guard you and keep you safe from all harm…'"

Hisana's words dissolved into indistinct rhymes and a hummed tune. Her eyelids closed and her breathing evened. Within seconds, she was deep in sleep.

"I still don't hear anything," Renji stated, scratching his head.

"I can hear it!" Rukia exclaimed, listening to a faint melody drifting on the wind. Rukia looked at Ichigo questioningly.

"Okay, let's check it out," Ichigo consented, waiting for Rukia to take the lead. Renji tagged along as Hanatoro left to continue his work with other patients. Byakuya was left to take care of Hisana. He gathered her into his arms and lifted her easily. His home had been left behind so he sought shelter in a nearby medical establishment. He procured an unoccupied room and placed Hisana on the futon. Reluctant to leave her, he kneeled beside and quietly watched her sleep. She immediately rolled on her side, facing him and mumbling incoherently.

Byakuya gazed down at her fondly, grasping the hand outreached towards him. He absolved right then and there that, after all was done, he would bring Hisana home.

* * *

The song grew louder as the trio neared Sokyoku hill. Eventually even Ichigo and Renji could hear it. The tune struck a familiar chord in Rukia's mind, resurfacing feelings she had forgotten. All too abruptly, the music stopped.

They stood in the open grounds just below the steep path that led up to the top of Sokyoku hill. Rukia stepped closer towards the hill then spun about, searching the area.

"Do you see anything?" Renji asked, his eyes jumping from one shadowed corner to another.

"No, but I sense something," Rukia replied, feeling some ominous presence seep into her. The dark manifestation spiked in awareness to her right. She spun to face it. "There!"

Ichigo and Renji jerked into fight stances, their eyes following Rukia's direction. Two young girls, barely twelve in age, stood holding hands at the base of the hill. Their hair was blonde and each had a set of one blue and one brown eye. The major difference between the two were their clothes and length of their hair. One had short hair, cut straight to her chin, and wore white shorts with a frilly green top. The other's was long and in pigtailed braids; she wore a blue sundress similar to what Rukia usually wore in the transient world.

"Who are you?" Rukia called, her hand resting on the hilt of her zanpakto.

"I am Emi," the one in green explained, "And this is Kyoko." Her head tilted slightly to her sister beside her. Kyoko's expression remained passive while Emi's was animated. "It's been awhile, Rukia. You've grown as we have not."

Rukia's eyebrows furrowed in speculation. "I assume you're with Raiden."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Emi replied, smirking at her own thoughts. "More like we benefit from each other. We help with his plans, he guarantees our revenge."

"Revenge?" Ichigo spoke out, his mind struggling to assess the predicament before them. At first glance, these girls appeared harmless, but because of his experiences in the past, he knew not to trust what he saw.

"Of course. What other reason would we have?"

"Plenty," Renji commented, "You can't justify everything with revenge."

"He's right," Ichigo agreed, "Moving forward would be impossible if vendettas from the past were always a forefront in a person's mind."

Emi smiled at Ichigo then turned her gaze to Kyoko. "Should we tell them, dear sister?""What?" Rukia questioned, her hand tightening on the hilt. She didn't like where this conversation was heading and she could sense something terrible was about to happen.

"Lord Raiden's curse has come to fruition," Kyoko stated, speaking for the first time. Her eyes glazed over in a foggy white. "The sleep has set in, and Hisana will never wake again. She will slowly pass on and become entwined once more in the undying cycle as she has been all these years. Fifty more years of suffering."

Rukia inhaled sharply. The twins' revelation set a chill in her heart that festered and numbed her surroundings. She had truly hoped that her sister's involvement would end, but it seemed the grudge these people held against Hisana was too strong. And now she would continue to suffer.

"You should've said goodbye while you still had the chance," Emi remarked snidely. With that, the twins disappeared.

"Wait a…! Damn!" Ichigo cursed, drawing Zangetsu. He could still feel the twins' spiritual pressure and didn't plan on losing them. "Let's go, Renji. Rukia, go back to Byakuya."

Rukia remained motionless and silent. Ichigo growled angrily at their dilemma before shaking Rukia from her shock.

"We'll figure something out. It's not over yet," he commented, placing a comforting hand on her head. "Go to Byakuya."

She nodded her head and watched the two men flash out of sight. A part of her was angry but a bigger part was fed up with the unfairness and cruelty of the world she lived in. She selfishly wanted to wallow in her own misery over the recent events. She wouldn't though. It wasn't in her nature to give up, no matter how difficult the task seemed. She'd see it to the end.

**A/N: Thanks to all my readers, new and old. Your support is inspiring. ****J**


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.**

Chapter Twelve

_Note: In this chapter, Hisana relives her previous life in the dream-like state she is currently in._

"Welcome to our humble abode!"

Raiden ushered the newbies inside, keeping a wary eye on the streets behind him. Hisana entered the small house hesitantly. She was still unsure of her decision to follow Raiden, and to trust him, despite her rescue. She was weary of struggling on her own. It was difficult obtaining provisions for her and Rukia, especially through theft. And she couldn't get honest work with no one to look after Rukia save herself. Raiden closed the door behind them. Moving around them, he draped an arm around Hisana's shoulders and steered her further into the small house. He sat her down in the main room on a large, beaten couch.

"There are five others who live here," he commented, "but there's plenty of room to accommodate another." He stepped out the room momentarily, knocking on doors. "Hey, guys, come and meet our new member."

Raiden reentered the room and stood to the far right of Hisana. Twin girls came in first followed by three men. The first was rather large and bald, the second thin and pale, and the third about the same age as Raiden with red hair and a somewhat friendly appearance. Raiden walked behind each in turn and introduced them.

"These lovely ladies are Emi and Kyoko," he began, indicating each twin as he spoke their name. "Our big man is Masumi. Kenta here spends too much time indoors. And lastly, Toru, my best friend since childhood. Everyone, this is Hisana and her little sister Rukia."

Hisana smiled and gave a nod in greeting. She shifted Rukia's weight in her arms. Rukia was awake and staring at the strangers around them. Her large, violet-blue eyes sparkled with intellect far beyond an infant. Hisana sometimes found Rukia's awareness encouraging in these situations. She didn't fuss and gave Hisana a sense of support that she desperately needed. She looked up as Rukia lost interest in the new people and grasped strongly at Hisana's fingers. Raiden met Hisana's gaze, watching the loving expression fade and be replaced with worry and unease.

"I'm still unsure about all this," she said honestly. "With all that we've been through, it's hard to believe anyone would be as kind as you have been."

"Yeah, I understand," Raiden replied, taking a seat next to her. He noticed her immediate shift to pull Rukia away. The others remained standing and watched the exchange. "But you can trust me. I'm offering protection and security for the both of you. We were all alone once, but we banded together and formed a family. Hisana, I'm asking you to be a part of this, of our family. Would you?"

Hisana glanced over the others once more before turning her gaze back to Raiden. She nodded. "I'd like to help provide food and such, to earn our stay here. I'm also willing to sleep on this couch if needed."

Raiden chuckled. "You don't have to earn a living. The boys and I will provide any necessities. What I wish is for you to take care of Emi and Kyoko as well as Rukia. Run the household and such. And you'll room with Emi and Kyoko, with your own bed."

Hisana was flabbergasted at the thought. The deal was better than she could imagine. She quickly complied with Raiden's demands and began her and Rukia's new life in the strange family.

Days turned into weeks and before Hisana realized it, they had spent two months in the household. Her daily routine was steady and rewarding, cooking and cleaning for her family. The only glitch was Rukia's unease. The child became more fussy and intolerant than she had ever been. She would not suffer any to hold her except Hisana and even then she cried. At nights, exhausted from her tantrums, she slept soundly. Hisana worried something was wrong with her and had asked Raiden if there was way for Rukia to see a doctor. He had told her that the only medics were those of the Seireitei and they never offered any help to those in the Rukon district. Hisana had questioned why, but eventually accepted the situation.

All throughout their stay, Hisana kept close to the twins and Raiden. Toru was the only one out of the three that ever spoke to her, but then he stopped, confusing Hisana. Emi and Kyoko rarely talked, but they were obedient and interacted with Hisana. The only true person she could rely on was Raiden. Since Rukia only allowed Hisana to hold her, Raiden would make it a point to spend some time with Hisana after she had laid Rukia to sleep. Although it was always late, Hisana would stay up for a while and converse with Raiden.

Their conversations revolved around several topics, about their pasts, what had happened that day, dreams, interests, etc. Hisana always felt at ease around Raiden and had begun to trust him. She looked to him as an older brother, never aware of his growing affections towards her.

Before Hisana came, Raiden was diligent in his work and plots to overturn the Seireitei. He had gathered especially talented people around him, all adamant in his cause. But it didn't stop there. Each day was an opportunity to recruit disgruntled and skilled men to their army. Despite their growing enforcement, Raiden had yet acquired enough power to take on the head of the thirteen guards, Captain Commander Yamamoto. If his plan was to succeed, the old man had to be dealt with first. He was still searching an answer when he met Hisana. She didn't hold any special powers or anything he could use yet he was drawn to her. He had an overpowering need to protect her. He would have cared less what happened to her sister and rather wished, now that they lived together, that Rukia would disappear and give him more time to simply be with Hisana. But Hisana's presence was distracting him from his cause and Toru made it a point to state that fact.

"She's taking away valuable time," Toru argued, facing a cornered Raiden. He and the others had stopped Raiden from running off to meet Hisana at the market, determined to stop his unneeded tendencies. Raiden was angered by their actions, hating being cornered like an animal. And he spoke his thoughts. Therefore, an argument over Hisana ensued.

"I disagree," Raiden countered, crossing his arms heavily over his chest. "Recruitment is still underway and I'm closer to finding a way to dispose of Yamamoto. Hisana is proving to be a good and necessary asset to us."

"To you, you mean," Kenta corrected, his beady eyes gleaming perversely. "What exactly happens every night when we're asleep and you two are not?"

Raiden growled. "I don't have to explain anything to you, cretin. The time I've spent with Hisana is drawing her to our side. You all know that the ritual I wish to try requires a pure sacrifice. If Hisana joins us, she would be more willing to give Rukia as an offering."

"We don't need to win her over," Toru declared, trying to reason with Raiden. "She's weak, we can take the child from her. She has no special ability to add to our cause and she's distracting our leader."

"I'm done discussing this," Raiden commanded, pushing past Masumi and Toru. "It won't be long now. Hisana will be mine."

He hustled outside, leaving his group to ponder over where his true conviction lay.

Hisana was nearing the house, juggling a large bag and Rukia in her arms. She was cooing and swinging Rukia around, making her laugh excitedly. She looked up, hearing Raiden storm out, huffing and mumbling angrily under his breath. It was the first time Hisana saw Raiden angry and she felt unsettled by it. His rant halted when he saw her. Cursing softly, he shook his head and plastered a genuine smile on as he trotted over to her. He immediately grabbed the bag out of her hands. She returned his smile, pushing the unsettling feeling to the back of her mind, and walked casually beside him back into the house.

The groceries in the bag were situated in the storage shelves with the rest of the supplies. Hisana settled comfortably on the couch, cradling Rukia in both of her arms. Raiden sat next to her, resting his arm behind her head and rolling his head back. He sighed tiredly. He could willingly admit to himself that he was becoming too infatuated with Hisana and it was cutting into his plans. If he wanted the others off his back, he needed to start kneading Hisana on to their side.

"Hisana," he called quietly, pulling her attention to him. He raised his head and met her questioning gaze. "I was wondering how you felt about soul reapers."

Hisana hesitated. Did he know her secret? He couldn't have found out though. She was always so careful to go alone. The fact that she visited the market every Thursday was precarious enough. She just wanted to see the soul reaper captain that had caught her attention that fateful day she first met Raiden. She never had any luck though, yet she still hoped. With her heart in her throat, she answered as truthfully as possible.

"I don't know really. They keep the hollows away, but I wish they would be more generous with people in the Rukon district. Nowadays, the only really secure lifestyle in soul society is becoming a soul reaper, which can be a seriously dangerous occupation."

Raiden seemed to think about what she said. She gulped nervously, gazing down at Rukia for a distraction. Rukia slept soundly, her small fingers clasping the front of Hisana's kimono. Glancing up, she caught Raiden staring at her. His stare sent an uncomfortable chill down her spine. It was almost hungry and somewhat predatory as if he was a hunter and Hisana his prey.

"So you believe they are necessary?"

Hisana was unsure of what to say, but nodded. "In some ways, yes."

"You'd be right in those aspects. Any society needs enforcement, but these soul reapers are corrupt in their standards and morality."

Hisana gave him a blank look. "What do you mean?"

Raiden sighed. "Like with Rukia. You were worried that she could have been ill, but we were unable to get a professional opinion. Because these soul reapers are so caught up in their own business, they don't care about the others who share this world with them. Yes, they keep hollows at bay and help the recently deceased cross over. But this world, this afterlife, is not what most people call being at peace in death."

Hisana looked away, but Raiden took hold of her chin and turned her to look at him once more. His gaze was intense and inflamed.

"They promised this life would be a good one, a happy one," he stated, "They lied. The only enjoyments I've found in this world are my friends and you. And still it is not enough. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Y-Yes," she whispered. His grip on her chin relaxed, but did not let go. Hisana was uncomfortable with how close he was and wished desperately to pull away. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her breathing. Raiden mistook her action and Hisana's eyes widened when she felt something press against her lips. His eyes were closed and his hand released her chin, traveling around her neck and firmly holding the back of her head. Hisana froze as his free arm encircled her body and pressed her closer. Just as his lips began to move, Rukia chose the perfect time to awake and start one of her fits. Hisana broke away, turning her attention back to Rukia. Raiden's arms dropped and he put on a dejected air at being interrupted. Hisana's devotion to Rukia was fraying his patience. It was going to be difficult convincing Hisana to sacrifice her sister, but he would figure something out. Maybe a well-planned accident to rid himself of an annoyance. She was less likely to know of the sacrifice if she believed Rukia dead by another means.

"I'm sorry," Hisana said, standing with the fussy babe wriggling in her grasp. "She's hungry. I'll feed her and then begin dinner."

Raiden nodded solemnly, watching her hurry out of the room.

He kissed her! Hisana's mind was in a panic. What was she to do now? She didn't have such feelings for Raiden as he did, obviously, for her. The bedroom was empty. Emi and Kyoko were more likely off with one of the guys. Rukia's fit quieted considerably after Hisana closed the door. It was as if she sensed her sister's plight and helped her escape. Hisana lay Rukia down on their futon. It would be better if she did share Raiden's feelings. He was at least within her reach, unlike the nameless soul reaper she had only seen once. She was foolish to hope that seeing him again would change anything. Raiden had saved her and gave her and Rukia a home and family. It felt as if she was betraying him for having feelings for another. And then, his reaction towards soul reapers scared her. Talk like that only brought disaster and harm. It was not within his rights, or anyone's, to dismiss the ones who uphold this world's security. This new life was becoming precarious.

She didn't stay up that night, choosing to go to bed early. She cuddled close to Rukia, but despite her best efforts she couldn't fall asleep. Deciding water might help, she got up and tucked the blankets closely around Rukia. The futons in the corner were empty, puzzling Hisana. Emi and Kyoko had yet to return. She tried to dislodge any anxiety. She already had so many worries and one more would not help. The kitchen stood to the left of their room, but noise and light drew Hisana's attention to the main room. Curious, she tiptoed to the opening and leaned against the wall, listening. As far as she could tell, everyone was gathered.

"Does she suspect anything?" Toru's voice was low.  
"No," Raiden replied, "We've never shown any harmful intentions towards her or her sister. But their bond is proving a problem." He sighed heavily before continuing. "You were right, Toru. Even if Hisana shared our belief, she would never sacrifice her sister."

Hisana stopped breathing, her eyes widening in shock.

"Would no other child work?"

"No. Rukia's the perfect age and has been sheltered and loved consistently by Hisana. The purity of her soul is untainted unlike most in this godforsaken place."

"Then what do we do?"

A tense silence fell over the room. The air turned cold and a shudder ran down Hisana's body. She covered her mouth to muffle the raspy pants she was emitting, terrified that someone would catch her. Her chest constricted painfully, anticipating Raiden's next words.

"We stage an accident. One where Rukia is killed and soul reapers are to blame. Knowing soul reapers caused her sister's death, Hisana will join us without hesitation. We can perform the sacrifice later on. Toru, you and I will get soul reaper uniforms and…"

Hisana didn't listen to the rest. Pain and betrayal shook her to the core and she wordlessly stumbled back to her room. Before she realized, she was curled around Rukia, clutching the child protectively to her chest. She let silent tears fall freely. They betrayed her! Her new family was plotting to take Rukia away from her for some deranged grudge against soul reapers. The safety and security she had grown accustomed to had crumbled before her. And she didn't know what to do. She couldn't stay, not if she wanted to save Rukia. Leaving was her only option, and it had to happen as soon as possible.

"Tomorrow," she whispered, stroking Rukia's head. "We'll leave tomorrow."

* * *

Fumbling in the pack on her back, Hisana wrenched a spare blanket from her supplies. She swaddled her jug of water in the blanket. Rukia was safely hidden near the entrance of a home where a family of four lived. With a final kiss goodbye, Hisana grabbed the bundle, swung her pack over her shoulder, and dashed off. Unshed tears built up in the corners of her eyes, but she didn't allow any to fall.

Everything had been going according to plan until she ran into Kenta and Masumi loitering outside a nearby bar. That morning, the men had gone off to do the odd jobs they occupied. Emi and Kyoko had remained in their room, sleeping in after a long night. Hisana had very quietly grabbed hers and Rukia's belongings and some food and supplies. It took less than five minutes to get everything together and packed. She left without a word, planning to disappear. Walking briskly to ward off any unnecessary attention, she melted into the morning bustle. She didn't know where exactly the guys worked, assuming it was some type of labor, so she was horrified when she ran into the two outside a infamous, thug bar. She didn't speak, didn't think, and just ran.

Each time she thought she was safe, Kenta would appear with Masumi inches behind him. She lost hope for herself, but she couldn't allow them to get Rukia. Seeing the family through the window of their home, Hisana quickly decided to leave Rukia.

Now as she ran with the decoy, she prayed that if she could not get back to Rukia the family would at least take her in and care for her. Kenta made another of his unsettling appearances in front her, in the shadow of a dark alley. Masumi lumbered up behind her, blocking any escape routes. Her eyes flashed between each of them, defeat playing on her features. Masumi grabbed hold of her upper arm and pulled her after him. His tight, unrelenting grip was cutting off her circulation, but she didn't complain. Rukia was safe, that was all that mattered.

Reentering the house, Masumi released his hold and chucked her into the main room. She caught herself, protecting the burden as if it were precious. A pair of feet stood before her where she lay. She didn't look up instead gazing around to note that everyone was gathered.

"Ran into her near Jurouta's. She took off before we could say anything," Kenta reported.

Raiden nodded grimly. Watching Hisana clutch at her bundle, he kneeled before her and lifted her chin. She was breathing heavily, her face flush from exercise. Her violet eyes held a determined, triumphant light that he had never seen before. It unnerved him. He reached for the bundle, meeting some resistance before he finally wrenched it from her grasp. The weight and shape immediately rang an alarm in his head. He tore the blanket off, staring in disbelief at the water jug. Angrily, he tossed the jug, shattering against the wall, and grabbed the front of Hisana's kimono. He pulled her close, their faces inches apart.

"Where is she?" he growled, watching with satisfaction as fear flashed in her eyes. It was replaced by determination and a stubborn inclination. Hisana clenched her jaw and didn't say a word.

Raiden shook with fury, grinding his teeth. A fire burned in his eyes, scaring Hisana. She raked her nails over his hand, pulling out of his grasp. Raiden let go with a hiss, lashing out. He backhanded Hisana and watched her slump to the floor.

"You can't stop us," he said, standing up. "You've only delayed the inevitable." He reached down and yanked her to her feet. He took a firm hold of her hair and pulled her head back. She gasped in pain. "This world requires sacrifice, Hisana. One child's life is nothing compared to what's at stake. And now, you'll pay for your betrayal."

He hauled her beside him as he made his way to the kitchen. A panel on the wall was opened and Hisana thrown into a dark, closet-size room. The panel slide back into place and she heard something large and heavy set against it. The only light came from cracks in the wall, allowing very little sunshine in. The ground she sat on was hard and cold. She searched blindly for anything she could use to beat against the wooden planks. Her hands came up empty. Desperate, she launched her feeble body against the wall, hoping to weaken the boards. There were no extra layers between her and the outside, but the wall was strong and unmoving. Her sad attempts only left her body badly bruised and sore.

She crumpled in a far corner, too exhausted to do anything, even cry. Yet despite her imprisonment, she had kept Rukia safe. Even if it meant abandoning her.

* * *

Time became befuddled. Minutes, hours, days, weeks, passing slowly and dredging out Hisana's captivity. She was vaguely aware of each passing day, spent holed up with barely enough sustenance. She slept more, finding comfort in her unconscious state, whether she dreamt or not. For those long lengths of time, she could escape her miserable, starving condition and relish in the dark oblivion devoid of pain. Some part of her hungered to live, but as days flew by, it diminished and craved for an end to her suffering. She had no prospects in life and no reason to live anymore. Rukia had always been the force that drove her on despite all the hardships. And now she was gone, left alone in an alley with little chance of rescue. Constantly, Hisana reasoned with herself that leaving Rukia there had the right choice. But with her deteriorating physical and mental state, she lost the battle, succumbing to the unbearable guilt, and eventually believed she had left her sister for dead.

Awoken from one of her many stupors, Hisana glanced up where she was curled on the ground and saw the panel slide completely open. Commonly, the panel would only be opened a sliver with enough room to slide a bowl and cup through and quickly shut. As if Hisana really had the strength or will to escape. Raiden's face appeared in the opening, concern and worry plastered on his face. His eyes however held a gleam of triumph and satisfaction that could not be masked. Hisana's stubborn side kicked in and she wanted to scoff at his expression, even though her throat was too parched to even speak.

"Hisana, dear," he cooed, crawling in a ways and lifting her frail form. He sat down and cradled her to him. She didn't have the strength to pull away or say anything, yet her mind was screaming and cursing him for what he'd done. "Six. It's been six months already. And we were able to perform the ritual anyways." Hisana's eyes widened, staring at Raiden's shirt. "It seems any soul would do. Now, this was a punishment. I hope you've learned your lesson. I'm allowing you to come out, but you cannot leave this house. Not until I can trust you again."

He lifted her face to look at him. "Do you understand?"

Several emotions erupted within her: shock and horror at how long she had been held, disbelief of Raiden's motives, and a rebellious urge to defy him. But she knew if she wanted to survive she had to comply with at least this. Once an opportunity had arisen, Hisana found that she did want to live. She wouldn't lose hope that Rukia still lived and they would meet again, one way or another.

"Y-yes," she replied hoarsely.

Raiden smiled at her compliance and lithely swept her from the prison. Emi and Kyoko stood by with a large plate of food and water. They followed Raiden as he exited the room and went into the girls'. He gently placed Hisana on her bedspread and motioned for the twins to bring the food and then leave the room. Raising Hisana into a sitting position, he helped her drink. She was so thirsty, gulping greedily. In her haste, she choked and started coughing.

"Take it slow," Raiden chastised, pulling the half-full glass out of her reach. He replaced it beside the plate. "Do you think you can stomach some food?"

Hisana glanced wearily at the bread and cheese and pieces of fruit and shook her head. While she still felt parched, the water was upsetting her stomach. Raiden nodded and lowered her back to rest. "I'll leave it here. Eat when you can and not too quickly."

Hisana didn't speak and closed her eyes. Raiden covered her and then left the room. Hisana listened to his fading footsteps as he withdrew further. After several minutes, she slowly picked herself up and hobbled to the door. She pressed an ear to the door, hoping Raiden thought her too weak to need someone to watch her. No sound came from behind the door so Hisana quietly opened it. Opening it just a crack, she peeked through to find an empty and dark hallway. There was a light coming from the main room where she could see several shadows flickering on the walls. It seemed that Raiden had guests. She withdrew, closing the door and making her way to the only window. Out of all of the windows in the house, the girls' room was the only one not boarded up. It was also the smallest. No one would be able to enter through unless they were a tiny child so Raiden never sought to cover it. A healthy Hisana would have had a difficult time getting out, but with the way she was, mostly skin and bones, she could manage. Luckily, it was closer to the floor and Hisana wouldn't have to climb.

She really didn't have the strength to escape and make a break for it, but she had to leave now that she was freed and the others preoccupied. She pushed the window open and peered outside. The sun was setting and the streets were abnormally alive. Lanterns were lit, hanging from buildings and trees. People of every age gallivanted between market stalls, dressed in their Sunday best. Entertainers performed in empty spaces along the street, some parading after customers to draw their attention.

Very carefully, Hisana raised her leg and slipped it through the opening. She turned on her stomach, planting her hands on the floor as she lifted the other leg. She scooted back until her feet touched the ground and then slithered out the rest of the way. Crouching on the ground, she breathed heavily as fatigue drained her limbs. She was surprised that she didn't feel dizzy but she figured it was because of the adrenaline pumping through her veins. Fear and anxiety were playing havoc on her nerves, knowing she could be discovered any minute.

She hurried as fast as she could manage and joined the fray. Her worn and hole-ridden attire didn't fit in with the ensembles on display. She hadn't bathed in six months and couldn't afford to waste any water given to her. She got quite a few disgusted looks and wrinkled noses. She sighed in exasperation. She was too noticeable and if Raiden found her sooner than she hoped, she would have a hard time disappearing. Contemplating her chances of stealing something to cloak her, she absentmindedly collided into the back of a person stopped at a vender's. She lost her balance and fell backwards. Rubbing her sore bottom, she looked up. The figure before her was a man, garbed in robes similar to a soul reaper's, a pink, floral haori, and a straw hat. He gazed down at her, bemused with a friendly twinkle in his eye. His dark hair was long and tied at the nape of his neck; scruff cloaked his jaw.

"I'm sorry, dear," he said, offering a hand to help her. His voice held a cheerful albeit drunken tone. She placed her hand in his and was amazed at how her hand seemed to be swallowed whole. He waited for her to stand, providing leverage for her grasp. She rose shakily. His free hand grabbed her other arm by the elbow and helped her steady herself. "Are you alright?"

Hisana nodded, touched at the true concern that rang in his voice. Genuine kindness was hard to come by and she had rarely met such a quality. She allowed his hands to remain for support. She was so tired, she just wanted to sleep.

"I'm fine," she said.

He gazed at her solemnly, his brown eyes intense. It looked as if he was about to say something, but he changed his mind.

"Captain!"

The man winced visibly. Hisana peered behind him to see a young woman in soul reaper robes walking towards them. Her face was set in a disapproving expression; sharp and assessing blue eyes were transfixed on the man's back.

The man dropped the wince and replaced it with a childish, playful look. He spun around flamboyantly and beamed at the woman. "My lovely Nanao! You've found me!"

He grasped one of her hands and rubbed it against his cheek. Nanao gazed coldly at her captain's actions, struggling to pull her hand free without showing how flustered she was. Her eyes fell on Hisana, analyzing the situation. She had seen him flirt with many women before, but young, curve less girls weren't usually his type. She sighed at her naiveté. He always managed to surprise her despite how much she already knew about him.

Hisana watched the exchanged, entertained by the man's obvious affection for Nanao.

Nanao finally wrenched her hand free and folded her arms. "Captain Kyoraku, we're supposed to be patrolling, not philandering about with unknown women."

He pouted. "I'm not. This is…"

Hisana was quick to catch his signal. "Hisana. Nice to meet you."

"Hisana, Nanao. Nanao, Hisana," he introduced.

"Hisana, Captain Shunsui Kyoraku of the Seireitei," Nanao announced, dryly. Her piercing eyes turned from Hisana back to Shunsui. "We have urgent matters that need attending. Say goodbye and let's go."

Shunsui sighed, watching Nanao turn and march away after giving a curt nod to Hisana. "Sorry about that. She's not very warm to strangers."

Hisana chuckled. "It's okay." She looked around before her eyes fell on Nanao's stiff form. "You should go. It was nice meeting you, Shunsui. I hope we meet again some day."

He nodded and smiled brightly. "One last thing." He grabbed a purple haori from the vender's table beside him, tossed a coin to the owner, and draped it around Hisana's shoulders. "Well, then. See ya later."

Hisana just stared as he disappeared. Nanao had vanished as well. She hadn't expected him to buy such an expensive and beautiful garment for her. But she was grateful. It hid her awful appearance enough to get her through the crowded streets unnoticed. She knew she couldn't stay in the same district and decided to head closer to the Seireitei. Raiden hated soul reapers and would more than likely keep as far away from them as possible. She found herself tagging along with a large group traveling towards the first district after the celebration.

* * *

For the first few weeks, after she had settled comfortably and had acquired a well-paying job, she was wary of the people around her, afraid one of Raiden's group would find her and drag her back. But as the weeks went by, she became less scared. Time passed quickly and soon Hisana spent thirteen years hiding from Raiden. The quaint shop where she worked had provided daily routine and some order in her life. She befriended her coworkers and spent more time with them than by herself. Despite the little happiness she had found, her mind would always wander back to Rukia. Guilt and sadness would overwhelm her to the point that she couldn't maintain a friendly façade.

It was such a day when a coworker, Hitomi, asked her to work a little into the night shift.

"Hisana, dear," Hitomi purred.

Hisana warily met Hitomi's gaze as she retrieved the last dirty dish from her table and wiped it clean.

"I really hate to ask, but would you be able to cover for me for a few hours during the night shift?" she gushed, her eyes full of worry. "Mari and Keiji can't and I have to visit my sick friend in the fifty-second district. I won't make it back in time. It'd only be for a couple of hours. Three tops."

Hitomi brought her hands together as in prayer, a pleading expression donning her features. Hisana sighed heavily. She hated the nightshift. After working one night, she had switched to just work during the day. She had a difficult time dealing with the rowdy, drunk men that frequented the bar.

"Fine, but you owe me," Hisana commented, carrying her tray back. Hitomi jumped joyfully, following her into the back and sweeping her into a bear hug after Hisana had put down the tray.

"Thank you, thank you!" she cried, "I'll pay you back."

"Alright, alright," Hisana chided, "Put me down, please."

Hitomi complied and gave a quick farewell before departing. Hisana waved her off reluctantly. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Hitomi bounced into the bar a half an hour late. Hisana looked up from the drinks she was pouring, relief washing over her. A particularly obnoxious group of men had been harassing her and she just wanted to leave.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Hitomi apologized, "Whose are these?"

"Table in the back," Hisana instructed. She handed the tray to Hitomi and watched her saunter away. Hisana admired Hitomi's strength and confidence and sometimes wished she could be as such. "I'm leaving."

Rei, the shop owner, turned and waved goodbye. "See ya, Hisana."

She saluted Rei nonchalantly, hearing him chuckle as she walked out. Closing the door, she met an unwelcoming sight of the previous men who had pestered her. There were five of them, gathered in a circle and laughing loudly. Hisana hesitated near the entrance of the bar, waiting for them to disperse before she even made a move to head home. It was a bit chilly and the bitter weather wasn't working to soothe her ill-temper. She had worked well past midnight and the fact that it was now Rukia's fourteenth birthday had brought on the melancholy emotions she experienced each year on that day. Her decision to remain proved pointless as two of the men spot her and proceeded towards her.

Just as she moved to duck back into the bar, three men exited and blocked her immediate escape. The bigger of the two quickly closed off the path behind her, hovering close to her. She glanced up at him, hating how short she was, and glared as menacing as she could. The second took the opportunity to take up the other side of her and force her closer to the wall.

"Hey, sweetheart," the big one said, placing one hand on the wall above her head and leaning towards her casually. "How about we find someplace we can be alone?"

Hisana snorted in disgust. The other one was smiling idiotically, too inebriated to fully understand what was happening.

"No thanks," she replied, pushing hard against the toxic one. He swayed momentarily, but regained his balance and resisted.

"Loo's li'e th' pre''y wai'ress wan's a play," he slurred. His buddy laughed, smacking the drunk on the arm. He then grabbed Hisana roughly by her right upper arm and proceeded to haul her behind him.

"I wanna hit a couple more bars before our fun," he stated, turning slightly to glance back at Hisana. She pulled away from him. He tightened his grip, never faltering as he trudged along. His pal had remained by the doorway, slumped against the wall. Hisana raked her fingernails across the back of his hand. He hissed as she broke skin and let go. The sudden release caused Hisana to fall to the ground hard.

"You stupid woman!" he bellowed, reaching down and yanking her to her feet. He drew back a hand, preparing to smack her, when another's caught hold before he could deliver the blow.

The man had long, white hair, brown eyes, and wore soul reaper garb under a white haori. Although he had just stopped a violent act, he looked cheerful and friendly. "I'm sorry, but it is not polite to raise one's hand against a defenseless woman. You should apologize."

The man jerked his arm away and seemed ready to start a fight when his eyes latched onto the haori the white-haired man wore. His eyes then flickered to another man standing behind the soul reaper captain, stoic and unmoving, wearing similar garbs. He quickly shut his mouth and took a step back. He whirled away, calling a quick 'sorry' as he ran. His drunken friend watched the exchange then quickly followed the other's example and skedaddled. Hisana watched them leave, rubbing her slowly bruising arm. Her gaze returned to her savior and she bowed. "Thank you."

The white-haired man smiled brightly. "You're welcome. I'm glad to see you're not hurt."

Hisana returned the smile.

"My name is Jyuushiro Ukitake," he declared, "I'm captain of Squad Thirteen of the Seireitei." He turned to his companion and beckoned him to move closer. He did so reluctantly. "And this is Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of Squad Six."

Hisana's eyes went wide as Byakuya came closer. It was the soul reaper she had seen in the market so many years ago. A fluttering began in her stomach and she felt a heavy weight in her chest, making it difficult to think. She tried her best to not look stunned as she assumed she did. Despite her clumsiness, she managed to introduce herself.

"I'm Hisana," she replied, smiling nervously. "I have no title really other than waitress."

"Oh? Where do you work?" Jyuushiro seemed not to notice Hisana's reaction to Byakuya's presence, striking up a conversation to relieve the silence of his night. Although he had once tutored Byakuya when the noble was a boy, Jyuushiro had been unsuccessful trying to coax him to speak.

"At Blossoms Fall," Hisana said, pointing over her shoulder. "I had meant it to be my escape, but an unforeseen event occurred and I was trapped. Thank you again. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't arrived as you did."

Jyuushiro shrugged it off. "It was a pleasure. I believe it is quite late. Would you be needing any assistance home, Hisana?"

Hisana shook her head a little too quickly. "Oh, no thanks. I'm just up the road. I've inconvenienced you too much as it is. It was nice meeting you, Captain Ukitake. Captain Byakuya."

She kept her gaze from meeting Byakuya's and scurried off before Jyuushiro had a chance to talk. She ducked around a corner and stopped. She peeked carefully back at the two. Jyuushiro was talking, but every now and then, they both looked towards her. Each time, her heart would stop. Had they seen her? Or perhaps sensed her with their uncanny abilities? Before Hisana could think more on the subject, the two vanished abruptly.

Disappointed, Hisana made her way home. Even though she knew it was foolish, she couldn't help but believe that fate had brought him to her for some purpose. And yet she blew her chance by hurrying away. She shook her head in frustration and self-loathing. Fate wasn't kind enough to her to bring her some joy after so much grief.

She walked on solemnly. It was enough to just see him once more.

**A/N: Read and Review! Thanks to my wonderful readers! I hope to update soon.**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.:(**

Rukia watched Ichigo and Renji race off after the twins. There was turmoil in her heart at Hisna's predicament. She was angry, angry at those wanting to hurt her family. Just as it seemed her family could be whole for once, it was ripped apart.

Hisana didn't deserve this punishment despite the faults and guilt she believed she held. Rukia was not naïve to deny that Byakuya had earned some enemies over the years. But everything he did serviced the Seireitei in some way. Surely he was worthy of some reward, purely selfish on his behalf.

Sighing heavily, Rukia turned and retraced her way back towards the medical headquarters. There was no use worrying more over the unfairness of the situation.

While hollow activity had lessoned surprisingly (considering they were in Hueco Mundo), there was still some fighting going on along the outskirts of the perimeter. Rukia was wondering when the next attack would ber when she picked up on a powerful presence following her.

She gripped Sode no Shirayuki, rotating in a slow cirlce while scanning her surroundings. There was nothing as far as she could see but her sharp senses were atuned to this slightly familiar spiritual pressure. Every fiber of her being was alert to an anticipated danger that her mind had yet to foresee. The presence unnerved her and she found herself wishing Ichigo was with her despite her pride as a soul reaper.

She didn't dare drop her guard as she inched her way across the open expanse. Sode no Shirayuki's awareness gave some comfort, but Rukia knew her limits. Although she would fight to the end, she was no match for the owner of the immense spiritual pressure. She only prayed that she could survive and make it back to the others.

Turning slowly to face her destination, Rukia collided with a strong form. She reacted automatically, attempting to draw Sode no Shirayuki. Yet he could not pull the blade from the sheath. She glanced down to see a large hand gripping her sword and holding it in place. Her eyes travelled quickly from the hand, up the arm, and into the eyes of a man with scars on his face.

No words were exchanged. Before the world went black, a memory flashed to the forefront of Rukia's mind. The same man looming over her, smiling widely but with no actual sincerety and warmth. A hidden agenda pulsating darkly in the depths of his eyes.

_Raiden,_ Rukia thought briefly, dropping into the void.

******************

"Damn! We lost them!" Renji cried, halting after the twins' presence disappeared entirely.

Ichigo glanced around, groaning in frustration. "And they led us in a circle. We're back where we started."

Renji let loose a string of curses. "I'm getting tired of this crap! What are they waiting for?"

"I don't know. But I don't think we have time to worry about that."

Renji followed Ichigo's gaze to the top of Sokyoku hill, pinpointing several figures arranged in a circle. The ground beneath their feet began to shake as the skies filled with numerous and very large hollows. They swooped towards Ichigo and Renji, their inhuman cries piercing the air.

"Howl, Zabimaru!" Renji deflected the hollows' attack, slashing cleanly through their torsos. His triumphant smirk fell as he watched the reitsu from the fallen buildings be absorbed into the slightly dissintegrated bodies, reforming them. Renji snarled angrily.

Ichigo swung Zangetsu, releasing a powerful blast that engulfed the hollows. The air remained clear for a few seconds before the hollows quickly reformed, bigger and nastier than before.

"Well, that didn't work," Ichigo commented.

"Understatement of the year," Renji huffed, falling into a prepared stance. "Time for some real power." He held Zabimaru horizontally from his face. "Ban….kai!"

********************

Ikkaku grimaced as the sudden earthquake caught him offguard, tripping him over Yumichika and landing in a pile of arms and legs.

"Get off me!" Ikkaku hollered, oblivious to the fact that he was the one on top of Yumichika.

"You first," Yumichika replied, nonchalantly. The two paused trying to disentangle themselves when they heard thousands on cries and the ground began to quake again. Ikkaku ripped himself away, knocking Yumichika on his back, and stared up, crouching on his knees. Yumichika comically slanted his head backwards to see what had drawn Ikkaku's attention. A wall of Menos Grandes had appeared and were slowly slinking towards them.

"Lucky me! Finally some entertainment," Ikkaku exclaimed, springing up and racing towards the line.

"Wait for me, Ikkaku!" Yumichika cried, scrambling unbeautifully to follow his bloodthirsty friend.

Ikkaku's joyful mood dimmed as a stream of yellow energy zoomed past him. Zaraki's maniacal laughter filtered into the air. Swearing, Ikkaku picked up his pace with Yumichika, once again composed, followed suit.

******************

"How much longer can they keep up the shield?" Orihime asked, her eyes transfixed worriedly at the three captains surrounding the captain commander.

Rangiku followed her gaze. "With their abilities, who knows? But the longer it takes to end this, the sooner they will wear down."

"Should I try to heal the captain commander?"

"I'm not sure if it would help," Uryuu chimed in. He withdrew from the window where he had been watching the reappearance of numerous hollows. "Healing Hisana had nearly drained you. We can't be guaranteed that the captain commander's situation is similar or possibly worse."

Orihime nodded sadly.

"It wouldn't hurt to try," Nanao piped in, turning away from the window where she was currently standing and staring seriously at Uryuu. He returned a steely gaze. "Let's be honest. The captains can't last forever and we need to apply every possible scenario we can. If there's even just a slight chance that Orihime can fix the Captain Commander, then we should take that risk."

"I won't let you exploit Orihime and cause her harm in the process," Uryuu argued, clenching his fists. "Just like soul reapers to callusly use others for your advantage."

"Uryuu ! That's enough!" Rangiku intervened, sternly stepping in between the two. Chad placed a soothing hand on Uryuu's shoulder as a means to both comfort and keep still his friend.

"We can't afford to be turning on each other," Rangiku reasoned, "The choice is Orihime's. And we should support her decision." She stares pointedly at Uryuu. "All of us."

Uryuu narrowed his eyes, grinding his teeth. "Fine."

Orihime looked nervously around the bunch. When Rangiku said her name, her eyes became glued on her busty friend. Rangiku met her gaze, smiling softly and nodding her head in encouragement.

"Uh, I-I could at least try," she answered, avoiding the disappointment and anger radiating from Uryuu's direction.

Before any further words could be said, the building began to shake. One side of the office crumbled forcing Nanao to retreat quickly out of harm's way.

"Protect the captains!" Nanao yelled, racing over to the trio. Rangiku and Chad joined her, surrounding the shielded group. Fortunately, the roof held. The wall took the most of the damage, creating a bigger hole than previously when Chad had blasted Toru.

Uryuu rushed to the opening when a large, collective power filled his senses. His eyes widened at the sight before him.

"Menos Grandes, ten of them," he relayed, turning back to the group. "We don't have enough numbers to take care of this threat. They're going to need any available person. Chad."

Chad nodded. He and Uryuu leapt out of the gaping hole, racing towards the inevitable onslaught.

********************

The medical tents swayed dangerously as the ground shook. Remaining walls of buildings collapsed, causing more chaos among the soul reapers as they scurried to keep the tents from falling.

Byakuya had remained by Hisana's side as she slept, unaware of the aspects of the curse Emi and Kyoko had revealed to Rukia. New members of Squad Four were left to watch the "recovery" area in which Hisana resided. Their inexperience in dire danger deemed them unworthy to look after the seriously injured. Byakuya's presence set most on edge. He still exhibited a calm and indifferent demeanor, but his control over his spiritual pressure proved differently. Anger and worry radiated off of his unmoving form as his thoughts continued to focus on the recent events.

Hisana had barely moved since she fell asleep. She didn't make any noise and her breathing was extremely shallow. He didn't know if he should be glad that she was sleeping soundly or concerned. His thoughts were interrupted however when the ground began to shake and shouts from the other soul reapers filled the air.

Hanataro came crashing into the room, falling face first to the mat. He blushed profusely from embarrassment, scrambling to his feet.

"Captain Kuchiki…!" he exclaimed, trying to catch his breath. His eyes wide with fear as he gazed upon Byakuya. "Hollows…h-hundreds surrounding u-us. A-an-and…menos grandes…"

Byakuya turned back to Hisana and tucked the covers closer around her. He stood up and gazed steely at Hanataro.

"Watch her," he commanded, walking calmly out of the room and heading outside. He didn't bother to listen to Hanataro's answer. As he reached the exit, he saw several hollows attacking soul reapers. Many Menos Grandes had surrounded Sokyoku hill and he could see the immense spiritual pressure of Zaraki blazing near them. Hisagi had command over the soul reapers guarding the medical tents and they were busily correcting fallen tents and creating a barrier. The hollows weren't attacking the medical area directly, a few strays here and there. Byakuya made a quick choice and vanished from the region.

He reappeared closer to the wall of Menos Grandes, stepping alongside Renji in his bankai form.

"Captain!" Renji's eyes widened at the sudden appearance of Byakuya.

Byakuya drew his blade. "Scatter, Senbonzakura."

The petal-like blades sped towards one of the Menos Grandes. A black figure appeared in the pathway and cursed, wildly flailing to ward off the blades.

"What the hell, Byakuya!" Ichigo cried, emerging unscathed. "Were you trying to kill me?"

Byakuya looked at him cooly, not bothering to answer his questions. A tick mark appeared on Ichigo's forehead as he ground his teeth in annoyance. _Damn him!_

The soul reapers were making little headway against the Menos as they continued to rematerialize after each vital blow. Even the release of several bankai forms and Zaraki's erratic power were easily detained.

"I have a bad feeling," Renji announced, motioning to Sokyoku hill. "They're surrounding Sokyoku for some reason."

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, moving to stand beside the red head. He glanced over to Byakuya, a particular midget coming to mind. "Hey, Byakuya, where's Rukia?"

Byakuya looked at him quizzically. "Is she not with you, boy?"

Ichigo's brow twitched angrily before realization dawned on him. "If she's not with you, then where…?"

His answer was soon answered as a collection of spiritual pressures appeared on Sokyoku hill. Five separate and active presences were circled around an overwhelming combination. Three of the five shocked many of the soul reapers who had met those pressures before. It seemed that Masumi, Kenta, and Toru had reappeared, just like the regenerating hollows. Another unconscious presence was felt strongly by the three men standing together. It lay within the envelopment of the combined spiritual pressures. The colorful presences formed into actual figures. Raiden and his fox hollow revealed themselves to be the shared pressures, surrounded by their comrades.

But the most surprising fact that shocked and angered Ichigo, Renji, and Byakuya the most was seeing Rukia hanging limply from the fox hollow's jaws.

**A/N: Okay, I am quite literally unable to keep my promises…so the best I can do is write and post new chapters as much as I can. I am really sorry.**

**Here is another list of excuses:**

**two three-page book reports due**

**four to five page essay on "a doll house" as a tragedy according to aristotle**

**two tests**

**work (blah!)**

**I still plan on getting four chapters out this week and then work on posting at least once a week. After WSSR is finished, I might disappear for a while and plan my next tale out fully and even write SEVERAL chapters before I post it.**

**Thanks to all my wonderful readers who have stuck with me so far. I greatly appreciate your feedback and you all deserve more updates than I have been giving. Reviews=love**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**A/N: So….the last chapter was really short BUT these next two chapters should make it up. More revelations of Hisana's past (courtesy of my imagination) are yet to come. On with the writing…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach…or do I? Mwhahahahaha! (seriously I don't so no suing por favor)**

**Warning: I haven't mentioned this before but I have not been using a beta. With my schedule, I'm having a hard enough time writing a new chapter, let alone having someone correct any mistakes before posting. I usually double check before I post (I am an English minor so I'm meticulous that way) and make sure I make sense. Okay, enough rambling. Enjoy!**

_(Back in Hisana's dream-like state)_

"The traditional wedding kimono of the Kuchikis," Kyousuke announced, sweeping in with neatly wrapped, slender boxes. "Passed down many generations to every bride-to-be of the family's head."

Hisana just stared as the elderly man placed the parcels down and with the help of Meiko and Taiji began unwrapping, revealing silk and luxurious robes. She had been living in the Kuchiki household for almost a year now and was utterly speechless when it was declared that she and Byakuya would wed.

"Lady Hisana, if you will, we must adjust the kimono to your stature," Kyousuke explained, "Meiko, please dress Lady Hisana in the sakura hiyoku."

Hisana allowed Meiko to lead her behind the dressing shades and fashion her with all the necessary undergarments for the kimono and then finally a lovely pale pink hiyoku. Her dark strands were fastened up hastily out of the way as Meiko adjusted the collar of the hiyoku. The sleeves were too long and Meiko had to roll them three times before Hisana's fingertips were visible. The length of the hiyoku would have to be shortened as well as Hisana had to gather the fabric in her arms in order to walk freely.

"Ah, yes, the length will need to be taken in," Kyousuke observed, as Hisana and Meiko emerged from behind the shades. "But the silhouette is quite flattering. And the color is befitting for your complexion. Now, for the kimono."

He pulled the white silk garment from the remaining box and held it up for Hisana to see the silver-threaded design of sakura blossoms falling across the snowy white surface. It felt as if the hiyoku would not fit with the purity of the kimono but as Kyousuke and Taiji maneuvered the garment onto Hisana, the soft pink gave the flying sakura pattern a hint of its natural color. The obi tied at her waste was the palest green; the color barely tinting the fabric. It reminded Hisana of the scarf Byakuya wore daily and made her smile.

It still seemed surreal that in just a matter of weeks she would be Byakuya's wife. Yet the overwhelming joy and happiness she felt was tinged with the suppressed feeling of guilt and shame. Rukia's fifteenth birthday was approaching in a few days and Hisana had yet to resolve whether to tell Byakuya or not. She was too fearful and ashamed, knowing for certain that if Byakuya knew the truth he would not want to marry her. He would be angry that he wasted so much effort to make it even possible for them to marry. Yet she couldn't bring herself to keep it a secret from him and thus, deceiving him of her true character. He perceived only the good Hisana so desparately tried to portray, but they couldn't build a marriage on lies.

"Lady Hisana, are you alright?"

Hisana shook herself from her brooding, blinking back unwarranted tears.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied, smiling softly. "It's all a little overwhelming."

"Here now, take a look," Kyousuke commanded, moving Hisana over in front of a full-length mirror.

"You're so beautiful," Taiji exclaimed, standing to her right. Meiko was nodding her agreement; both were smiling brightly.

"It's not complete," Kyousuke began, tugging the bow on her back straight. "Once the kimono has been altered, and we add hair and makeup, you'll be divine, utter perfection."

Kazuki barrelled through the parted screen doors. "Make haste, Lord Kuchiki is approaching!"

"Dear me," Kyousuke remarked, scurrying to undo the obi. "He mustn't see you in this, not yet anyways. Quickly now!"

Taiji and Meiko raced to unwrap Hisana from the many garments, semi-ignoring the inappropriate revelation of certain undergarments before the men. The kimono and hiyoku were placed back into their boxes as Meiko hastily pulled Hisana behind the shades once more and dressed her in a simple, pink kimono with long sleeves to signify her status as an unmarried woman. Once she emerged, the boxes had been moved into a corner and Kazuki, Taiji, and Kyousuke were welcoming Byakuya.

"Lord Kuchiki." They each bowed. Meiko quickly followed their example. Hisana meant to do the same but a look from Byakuya told her to stay still. He had been working to break her habit of bowing to him when she was soon to be his equal. It went against her nature though as she believed she was unworthy to be considered in any way equal to him. To most standards, it was strange for the husband and wife to share equality, but while Byakuya still expected a measure of obedience from Hisana, he wanted Hisana to have as much freedom and power as being a Kuchiki allowed.

He extended a hand towards Hisana. "Would you accompany me on a walk in the gardens?"

Hisana smiled and took his hand, allowing him to lead her out of the room. She said a quick farewell to Kyosuke and the others before turning her full attention to Byakuya. Her hand remained in his grasp and it still marveled her how well their hands fit. The Kuchiki gardens were one of her favorite places to visit. The brightness of the trees and flowers lifted her spirits each time she saw them.

"Hisana," Byakuya began, watching his future wife catching a butterfly on her finger. She turned to him, a brilliant smile on her features. He hated to dim that smile. "I'm afraid that I will be away for a few days."

Hisana's face dropped instantly, the butterfly flew away. "Oh?"

"A mission to the transient world," Byakuya stated, "I expect to be gone for two weeks."

Hisana tried to reign in her disappointment. It's not the first time he's left on a mission and she had to accept that there would be times when she wouldn't see him and possibly worry if she'd ever see him again. This is what she'd agreed to.

She forced herself to not think of anything bad happening. "When will you be leaving?"

"Two hours."

"So soon?" Hisana's voice took on a distressed tone. She was hoping for more time, possibly the rest of the day. _Only one month left before we're married_, she reasoned. They had plenty of time before then and an infinity beyond where they would be closer than ever.

"I hope you are successful and come back unharmed," she stated, regaining her composure. She survived without him for many years; a couple of weeks wouldn't kill her.

Or so she hoped.

**A/N: **A short chapter…my sincerest apologies for the extremely late update and ill-kept promises. I had fallen into a depression (bad enough that I had to be medicated) and it effected my writing so much to the point that I couldn't even force myself to write when I didn't really feel inspired. Much better now, so I figured if I updated in short chapters, maybe I'd be able to work continuously on the story. I won't make any more promises but the horizons are looking clear. Thanks for the support from my readers. I've made it a goal of mine to read all of your fanfics and give my suggestions. Peace, homies! (did I do that right?)


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

**Disclaimer: I own Bleach! YES! AHAHAHAHAhahahaha….*goes and cries in the corner* I don't really own Bleach **

_Still in Hisana's dreamstate._

Hisana sighed heavily, laying sprawled in the tall grass near the gate into the Seireitei. It'd only been three days since Byakuya's departure, and she already missed him. There wasn't much for her to do at the mansion either, so she couldn't distract herself with maintaining the household. Everything she has done thus far was for and with Byakuya. All her tasks she completed each day revolving around being the necessary companion for him. Kyousuke and the others ran the house even though she's been told by the kind noble women that it is the wife's job to do so. But they had a system down that worked. Maybe when she was actually married she could be more helpful.

She let another sigh escape. It was a beautiful day, clear skies and nice breeze. She knows Byakuya would rather her spend time in the garden instead of out in the Rukon District, but she felt stifled today for some reason. And with her petite stature, she was easily hidden in the tall brush, away from any possible harm. It was not like she had gone to the 78th district. She always stayed within reach of Seireitei.

It was her third day leaving the safety of the Kuchiki manor and Seireitei in exchange for some open air with others more like her. She would lose track of time, thinking about Byakuya and missing him, and thoughts about Rukia would surface. She would always have this daydream where one day she walked into the Rukon District and happen upon a girl younger than her but similar in appearance. Then her family would be whole for once with her future husband and lost sister by her side. It was a foolish thought, and it hurt her each time it did not come true. Each day Byakuya was away, she contemplated going and searching for Rukia. She couldn't expect for her sister, if she was still alive, to make it to the first district. She would have to go back, put herself in risk of discovery by Raiden, and retrace her steps. Mayhaps someone had picked Rukia up and was raising her. Hisana always reasoned she hoped for the best because she really wanted Rukia to be alright. But a darker, self-destructive side wanted her to believe that it was more for her release of guilt and shame rather than care for her sister.

Lying there, she made up her mind. She would travel back later this week and try to find any traces to Rukia.

Unfortunately, it seemed like the universe was set against her. While it was cloudy in the Seireitei, it was stormy in the Rukon District. The further away from the Seireitei she got, the darker it became. She feared it would rain at anytime, and she had not prepared for such weather. She already felt ill at ease walking back to where she was once held captive, so the added chance of rain only burdened her more.

She had awoken early, leaving a note saying she was visiting her old friends and would be back by the end of the day. She dressed in an extremely simple kimono to blend in in the Rukon District. She even added some spots of dirt to make it look authentic. She feared so much about being discovered by Raiden and his group that she even acquired a wig and hat. The duo had been a gift from Captain Kyouraku, the captain that had helped her after her escape. They had become good friends when he discovered it was she who was to become the next Lady Kuchiki. The hat, straw with feminine designs of flowers, was to protect her delicate skin from too much sun, and the wig was for "role-playing" as he put it. Byakuya was not overly joyed about the wig, and his usual cold demeanor dampened noticeably. Hisana didn't really understand what Captain Kyouraku meant, but she kept it despite Byakuya's insistence of burning it.

But it worked out for the best. The wig was blonde and long. She looked completely different from her usual self, like a whole other person. If she could hardly recognize her, then Raiden would be less likely as well. Or so she thought.

It was near noon when she stumbled upon the alley where she had left Rukia. She looked into the window where the family had been, the one she had hoped would find her sister and take care of her. The building was empty. An elderly man was perched next to the wall outside the alley.

"Excuse me," Hisana said, stepping out beside him. "Do you know what happened to the family in this house?"

He looked at her, his eyes glazed from old age. "There had been a raid years ago. They were among the ones massacred."

Hisana gasped in shock. "Did they have a baby? A girl with dark hair and blue eyes?"

The man nodded. "Yep, they found the poor child in that alley there where you came from. The girl was only six when the raid happened. Don't know if she survived though."

"But is it possible?"

"Could be. When they dragged the bodies out to clear them, none had found the little girl. I like to believe that she got out. Why are you so interested, anyways?"

Hisana blinked, hope blossuming at the man's words. She didn't answer his question, oblivious to his next words until it was too late.

He had her about her throat the next instant. "Hisana. Clever disguise."

Hisana's eyes widened. The voice coming from the old man was familiar and striked instant fear into her heart. The form melted into Toru, a condescending sneer on his face.

"It was nice of you to return. Raiden will be pleased," he spat in anger. His eyes darkened at his last sentence.

Hisana pulled at his arm. She couldn't go back, not after all she had gone through. Panic set into her heart and propelled her to knee him in the groin. He immediately released her, and she sprinted away. Byakuya had taught her some basic defence moves, as a precaution, but that all flew from her mind in her terror. She couldn't hear Toru behind her, but she didn't stop. The hope she had felt for Rukia's possible survival had died instantly when Toru revealed himself. If he knew Rukia had been with the family, it was possible they had already gotten to her. And it was Hisana's fault.

She had never travelled so far so fast. By the time she stopped to catch her breath she was in the fifth district, having cut across back roads and rough terrain to get there. She was sweating hard from her dash and had to take the wig off to cool herself. Normally, she would have been able to recognize Toru's spiritual pressure, but his disguise had dampened it. Another training scenario with Byakuya, learning to feel and identify spiritual pressure. So when the all too familiar presence of the one man she was trying to avoid appeared, she froze in fear.

"Hisana." He said her name with a type of reverence and longing to his tone. She dropped her things, turning to face Raiden for the first time in years.

"You've finally returned to me."

Hisana stared at him as if he were mad. He held his arms open, most likely expecting her to fall into them as if they were long lost lovers. She took a step back. This couldn't be happening. Why did she ever believe he had stopped looking for her? She should have stayed in the Seireitei.

"It's been so long," he states, moving closer once more. His arms had fallen to his side, but he still held the over-confident belief that Hisana had come back to him gleaming in his eyes. "Too long. I had hoped to have found you sooner."

"Why? So you could imprison me again?" she asked, stepping back each time he moved forward.

He frowned. "I did not like having to punish you. But you disobeyed. I can't be lenient with you just because of our relationship."

"We don't have a relationship." Hisana was fighting the urge to just make a run for it. She wouldn't get far anyways.

"Come now, Hisana," he said, "We shared so much together. Don't forget who took you in."

"And who plotted to kill my sister."

His features began to darken with each passing moment. "It was necessary for our survival. The soul reapers must be dealt with. Rukia's sacrifice would have not been in vain. It would have lead to a new Soul Society."

"Where is she now?"

He smirked. "Found her barely a decade after you left. She had been with that family until it was raided. She's running about with a bunch of abandoned kids. Fits her, right? She was abandoned by her only family, you."

Hisana shook her head despite the words ringing true in her mind. "I had to protect her. I couldn't let you kill her."

At this point, Hisana felt the distinguished spiritual pressure of some soul reapers near by. If she could make it to them, then she could get away from Raiden. With a final glare at Raiden, she took off once more, heading towards the soul reapers. She had only taken a few steps before Raiden appeared in front of her. He grabbed her tightly as she collided with him and held her close, pulling her off her feet. She fought against him, kicking and hitting the best she could. He pinned her arms between their bodies and locked an arm beneath her bottom, forcing her legs apart and away from his groin. She was able to look him in the eye and didn't like what she saw.

"Those soul reapers can't help you," he stated, watching her continue to struggle in his hold. "They're far too busy. Look."

She followed his gaze upwards to see a tear appear in the sky, revealing a black void and letting loose a stream of hollows. She gasped at the numbers, fearful for the innocent bystanders who would be harmed.

"Stop it, Raiden!" she cried, renewing her efforts. She was able to wiggle an arm loose and punched him in the jaw as hard as she could. It didn't break his hold however, and he whirled back with fury in his eyes. She hesitated a moment before assaulting him once more. He eventually released his hold beneath her bottom and she swung out of his arms. She didn't wait for him to recover, dashing towards the soul reapers.

The cries of the hollows filled the air soon followed by screams and racing feet. She blended easily into the dashing crowds and hightailed it away from the district even as soul reapers appeared to stop the hollows. She didn't get far before Raiden found her again. But this time he was stopped by the appearance of the soul reapers captains, Komamura and Tousen. The three began to fight even as Raiden grabbed Hisana about her waist and pulled her with him. She froze when she felt a sharp, cold edge appear against her neck. The captains stopped as well momentarily. Raiden opened another void and let loose more hollows. Hisana watched the captains take on the hollows, distracted from saving her. In a last, desperate attempt, Hisana grabbed Raiden's sword hand and pushed it away from her neck. Her action shocked Raiden and before she knew it, she forced his own sword to cut his face on his right side. He dropped her instantly and she clambered away.

"Hisana!"

She could hear him yell for her long after she had reached the Seireitei and was back in the safety of the Kuchiki manor. She was exhausted and dirty, wanting nothing more than a bath and then sleep. But she couldn't indulge herself in such luxuries.

She hadn't been able to protect her sister at all. Raiden still found her, and though he didn't mention whether Rukia was dead or not, he could still hurt her. She felt a renewal of guilt, shame, and self-disgust as her thoughts revolved more around her innocent sister. Then they fell on Byakuya, who didn't even know about what Hisana had done. He didn't deserve trash like her. It was foolish of her to think she could just find her sister and everything would be better. It was best for her to leave. Byakuya would hate her as he rightly should and move on. And she would take the punishment she so rightly deserved. Despite the danger of Raiden finding her again, Hisana could not allow him to hurt her sister. She had to find Rukia before it was too late.

Thankfully, she didn't run into any of the help on her way to her room. She quickly grabbed the water basin and bowl and washed the dirt and sweat from her face and hands. She then took out paper and ink. It was better to at least explain to Byakuya why she left rather than leave without word. Even though it would have been better to do so. A part of her reasoned that the letter would only entice him to search for her, but she couldn't stop herself from taking the letter, along with a small bag of clothes, and heading to his room. There was still about another week before he would return. By then, she would be long gone.

She didn't hesitate outside his door as she would have done had he been home and entered briskly. She stopped when her eyes alighted on Byakuya sitting on his futon, shirtless, with Captain Unohana dressing a wound on his back. They both looked up at Hisana's entrance. Hisana didn't know what to do as she stood there clasping the letter in her hands.

"Lady Hisana," Captain Unohana greeted, "I am glad you're here. Could you help me, please?"

Hisana nodded, dropping her bag and hiding the letter in her sleeve. She moved closer, blushing slightly at Byakuya's bare chest. Unohana had her kneel behind him and hold his hair out of the way while she finished the dressing. Hisana couldn't help but notice how soft his hair was against her skin. Before she knew it, she was stroking the dark locks, combing through them with her fingers. Unohana didn't seem to notice, or at least care, but Byakuya felt the soothing gesture and unintentionally settled closer to his future wife.

"All finished," Unohana stated, looking over her work. "Now, you're to have no strenuous activities for the next week so it can heal properly. Lady Hisana, I look to you to keep him from such."

She gave a pointed look at Hisana, as if she knew what Hisana was about to do. She left quickly and quietly before Hisana could gather herself. She still held Byakuya's hair, leaning closer to feel his warmth.

"What happened?" she asked, eyeing the many bandages on his torso.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "A mishap at a human facility. The injuries are minor and foolish on my part."

Hisana nodded despite the fact that he couldn't see her. He pulled his hair from her grasp, turning to face her. She adverted her eyes, staring pointedly at her now empty hands.

"Where were you going?" he asked, gazing briefly at her abandoned bag.  
"No where," she lied, "I had just gotten back from seeing my friends."

"I do not believe you need a bag for such visits. What about the paper in your sleeve?"

Hisana clutched her arm consealing the letter close to her. "It's nothing really."

How was she supposed to leave now? He was injured, not to mention it would have been easier to leave without him here at all. Her resolve would break and she wouldn't be able to leave at all. He wasn't buying her lies one bit.

"I'll get some tea. You need food, too," Hisana said, raising from the ground and heading for the door. He grabs her wrist as soon as she stands.  
"Why are you lying, Hisana? What's wrong?"

Hisana feels the tears. Might as well get it over with. "Everything's wrong, Byakuya. You shouldn't marry me because I'm not a good person. You've often asked me about my past, but I never told you about the sister I abandoned when she was a baby."

She didn't turn to look at him, staring ahead at the door.

"What?"

"It was hard, providing food and shelter for both me and my sister, Rukia. I couldn't handle it. So I left her in an alley. I abandoned her." Hisana didn't want to give any excuse so she left out the family she hoped would care for Rukia. She didn't mention anything about Raiden either. It was best he never knew about him.

"Hisana…" His hand began to pull her back, but she wouldn't let him. She yanked free from his gentle grasp. She pulled the letter from her sleeve and let it drop to her side.

"This should explain everything better. I'm truly sorry for the inconveniences I have caused. I'll be leaving."

She didn't bother to consider that Byakuya would come after her until he had turned her to face him and held her against the closed door. She had been fighting off the heartwrenching sobs, but allowed tears to stream down her face. He didn't give her time to rebuke him and pressed his lips chastely against hers. Her eyes widened at the touch, sliding closed as she gave in. It would be her first and last kiss with Byakuya. It seemed a perfect end for the best thing to happen to her and the beginning of her continuous punishment. He let go after a moment.

Hisana made to pull away, ignoring his eyes, when she was pulled back for another deeper kiss. She relented, almost sighing into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her to his height. It started out soft and coaxing, drawing Hisana's shy responses with increasing vigor. His hands were alternating rubbing her back and stroking her sides. She was becoming dizzy from his ministrations, utterly shocked when she felt his tongue slip into her mouth where it plundered dominantly. She allowed him his explorations, languidly trailing her thin hands over the broad, lean shoulders. Her fingers weaved into his hair as he hiked her legs up around his waist.

Hisana didn't know how long they stayed like that, hungrily exploring each other. And she really didn't care. It was everything she could have wanted. He kissed her so passionately without pushing it further than anything appropriate. When he finally released her, he continued to hold her to him, breathing heavily along with her.

"I don't care," he said, pulling her close when the tears reformed. She buried her face in his neck and cried. He continued, "It doesn't matter what you did in the past. I want you; I need you, Hisana. I'm breaking my family rules and laws of nobles to be with you. And you're worth every bit of the hardship I face. My days are infinitely better as soon as I see your face, whether you're smiling or angry or sad. So don't throw me away. Don't leave me alone again."

Hisana only cried harder at his admonition. But she managed a shaky agreement to his plea, and remained in his arms for several minutes longer.

But she made a promise to herself: she would seek out Rukia everyday until she found her.

**A/N: Another chapter. So, I'm like 'Poor Hisana!' and then it's 'lucky Hisana' and 'damn her'. The Byakuya I've created for her ('cuz I'm pretty sure I ain't following the norm on his personality) is so awesome and perfect. How come men are only great in my mind? Haha! Onwards to the next chapter, my friends!**


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Sad but true *sigh***

_*Hisana's dreamstate_*

"Her illness has gotten worse, Lord Kuchiki," Kyousuke stated, briskly walking alongside Byakuya. "I've requested for a member of Squad 4 to come look at her."

Byakuya nodded. "Change the request for Captain Unohana."

"Yes, my lord."

Kyousuke immediately continued on as Byakuya stopped in front of Hisana's room. She had been ill since almost the beginning of their marriage. Byakuya barely got seven months before she contracted the illness. He suspected it came from her visits into the Rukon District, and while he tried to keep her from going, she wouldn't listen to him. Sometimes he became angry with her. He never revealed it to her, not wanting to upset her and possibly increase her sickness. But he couldn't deny that he hated what she was doing. Did she not care for him at all?

He entered the room and saw that Hisana was no longer in bed. She was sitting by the opposite doors leading to the garden. She looked up as he entered.

"You should be resting," he said, closing the doors behind him.

"I am," she replied.

He gave her a look. "I mean in bed."

She smiled. "Of course. I just wanted some fresh air. It's beautiful outside."

He had made his way across the room and stooped to pick her up. She didn't protest and let him return her to the futon in the center of the room.

"I'll leave the door open, but you must rest."

"Okay. Will you stay with me?"

He nodded. "Captain Unohana should be here shortly."

She laid her head down, curling on her side. She had one of his hands in her grasp and seemed to almost be cuddling it. Her eyes were closed, and Byakuya watched her fall asleep. Although she had been going out everyday for the past five years, she couldn't muster enough energy to move for the past month. Not ever since that last day she went into the Rukon District and returned sicker than ever. Byakuya had thought he would lose her, her fever was so high. And she had not fully recovered from that night.

Her face held no pigmentation, it seemed, and despite Byakuya's attentiveness to feed her, she had grown even more frail and desolate. Her beautiful violet eyes were now ringed with dark bruises.

"Captain Kuchiki?"

Byakuya was not surprised at Unohana's approach and motioned for her come in. She did so and came to kneel opposite Byakuya at Hisana's side.

"If I could have a moment, please," she said.

Byakuya nodded and rose. He left out the open door, closing it. He would have argued his right to know what was going on with his wife, but a previous encounter had warned him against getting on Unohana's bad side.

Unohana gently shook Hisana awake. "Wake up, Hisana."

It didn't take much to wake her. Her brief nap had been dreamless, but she had yet to fall into truly deep slumber before Unohana was waking her.

"Hisana, I have news, and while I would choose for this to be happy news, in your condition it is not."

Hisana struggled to sit up, gladly taking Unohana's help. Their eyes met.

"So it's true?"

"Yes, you're about three months along."

Hisana looked down, placing her hands on her abdomen. "Have you told Byakuya?"

"No. Hisana, there is no likelihood that even should you abort this child, you will live."

"I wouldn't anyways."

"And still, you both will not survive. You're too weak to carry the child to full term, and I fear you will not last much longer. You don't have enough nutrients for yourself, let alone this child."

Hisana nodded. She rubbed the barely visible bump. "I figured this sickness was a retribution, a just punishment for my sins. But I could never wish for my child to be punished as well." Tears welled in her eyes as she gazed desperately to Unohana. "Byakuya can't know. It will already be hard for him to lose me. I don't want him to mourn a child we'll never have. Please, Retsu."

Unohana met Hisana's pleading gaze sadly. "I understand and agree to an extent. I will keep your secret."

"I know I shouldn't ask, but I need you to find my sister," Hisana said, gazing up at Byakuya. It had been getting harder to breathe all day, and she was so tired. "And protect her, please."

Byakuya looked at her solemnly. "I promise."

"But don't tell her about me. I'm so ashamed of what I did. I'd rather her not know me than hate me." She squeezed his hand the best she could and smiled. "It would be wonderful for her to have you as a brother. And she might ease my passing for you."

"I promised to find her, but you shouldn't give up. I'm sure Unohana will figure out what this is and a cure in a matter of time," Byakuya said.

"I don't have time, Byakuya, and you know this. I'm sorry. I really wish we could have had more time." _And raise our child_, she added inwardly. She closed her eyes, they were so heavy.

"Hisana?"

A darkness, promising comfort and release, met her on her descent and swept her away.

"Hisana!"

Hisana awoke in a field, surrounded by sakura trees just blossuming and a mix of scarlet flowers in the branches. An even stranger mix to the scene was the snow falling. It wasn't cold and glided on an invisible breeze. She sat up, gazing around and catching the snowflakes as they drifted towards her.

"It's nice, isn't it?"

The crystal voice startled Hisana, and she turned to see a woman with pale pink hair sitting beside her. She was gazing up at the scenery, away from Hisana. She had on some type of warrior outfit, similar to the Secret Corps uniform but white instead of black. There were red accents on her belt and ties. Another striking feature of the woman other than her hair was her red eyes.

She turned to look at Hisana, smiling.

"It's lovely," Hisana replied, her eyes fixated on the woman. "Who are you?"

The woman shook her head. "Even if I say it, you're not ready. You wouldn't be able to hear it."

"Oh."

"Let's just say I'm a friend, and I'm here to tell you why Raiden's spell will no longer work on you."

Hisana blinked. "What do you mean?"

"The induced sleep you're in was meant to end your life, Hisana."

"Right, I forgot."

"The difference between this and the previous reincarnations is my awakening, along with another unborn soul tied to your fate. Do you remember your dreams?"

Hisana nodded.

"They weren't dreams, but memories of your life in Soul Society. You must come to terms with the fact that you are not to blame for what Raiden has done. You were a mere pawn on his board, and he manipulated you and tried to hurt your family. It's time to fight back."

"How am I supposed to do that? I know I have my little energy balls, but there's no way I can go up against Raiden and win."

"It'll be a team effort, Hisana, but you must find a way."

Hisana continued to look at her in disbelief and worry. The woman placed her hand on Hisana's shoulder and squeezed it. "Don't worry. I'll be with you every step of the way."

Hisana covered the woman's hand on her shoulder and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was laying on a futon in a tent. A zanpakuto was gripped in her hand, but she wasn't surprised for some odd reason. It felt like she was still holding the red-eyed woman's hand.

"Hisana, you're awake!"

**A/N: Sorry if this feels like a cliff hanger. We're not too far off from the end. Sorry again for the late updates. Right now, I have to figure out how to end this. I'm a little worried things are becoming too predictable (anyone else notice how in Bleach just as the bad guy's about to win one of the characters magically appears to save the day? yeah, I noticed, and I don't want my writing to be predictable so I'm looking to surprise, hehe). Thanks again to all my readers for sticking with me. I'm going to say I have about three more chapters including an epilogue. d^.^b**


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